


As Close As This

by Callmebobbie



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Action, F/M, Humor, Mild Language, Mildly Dubious Consent, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Romance, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Warning: Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-03 03:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 46,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4085290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Callmebobbie/pseuds/Callmebobbie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Darcy's week got that little bit worse the moment Thor stuck his tongue down her throat." Jane plots. Tony swears. Loki stalks. Darcy needs a drink. TaserTricks set after Thor: TDW.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Why, hello there.
> 
> Welcome to my first fic on AO3. I've posted before on fanfiction.net, but I've decided to inflict myself on you good people too. 
> 
> A little context for this TaserTricks: It's set straight after Thor: The Dark World, so that means after Iron Man 3, but before Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
> 
> It's also rather AU, because I started writing it, well, pretty much after I came home from the movies having watched Thor 2. It just stalled a bit (*ahem* a lot). So don't look for too much Marvel accuracy here...
> 
> I also haven't finished it. I KNOW. Usually I try to get the bulk of my fics done before I start posting so wait times between chapters are shorter, but I'm being spontaneous! Yay, me! Let's hope my spontaneity doesn't bite me in the arse.
> 
> The title is shamelessly stolen from the legendary Kiwi band The Mutton Birds.
> 
> Enough from me. If you like it, let me know! Or not. Ooo, Kudos! Kudos is good too. :)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: These wonderful characters and worlds do not belong to me. Bugger.

**Chapter One**

Darcy's week got that little bit worse the moment Thor stuck his tongue down her throat.

Oh, she thought her week had been crappy enough already, but as she moped across the foyer of Stark Tower at about lunchtime on a Friday, determined to survive the last five or so hours before the weekend, she quickly discovered that she had thought wrong.

She only had a moment to process her best friend and former boss, Doctor Jane Foster, breaking into a sly smile as her gorgeous beef-cake of a boyfriend, Thor, God of Thunder, bent over her delicate hand and placed a lingering kiss on it. He murmured something for her ears only before he straightened, turned to Darcy, loped over, and proceeded with the tongue probe.

Darcy Lewis was no idiot. Thor had not suddenly become overcome with passion for her after spying her across the crowded foyer. He and Jane were plotting again. Stupid plotting plotters.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind and a fist tightened to give the blond God a thump in the well-toned chest, when a massive crack echoed off the high windows and rattled the ceiling. He removed his tongue and grinned over her shoulder.

"Brother!" He boomed happily, "What brings you to this fair city-"

"Let. Her. Go." Came the dark command.

Oh, crap.

Darcy pushed herself out of Thor's loosening embrace and whipped around to see the Trickster God, pulsing with dark power, standing feet braced, fists clenched by his sides, and a glower that could stop a thousand fangirls in their tracks.

The previously bustling foyer was rapidly emptying as it became clear that Thor and his adopted brother, the somewhat reformed villain Loki Laufeyson, were not going to sit down for a nice spot of tea.

Loki's ice green eyes snapped to the gaping brunette, who was hovering between the two gods, unsure whether she should try to calm things down, or run away and try not to pee her pants.

The latter desire was winning.

"Darcy Lewis," Loki's face broke into an evil grin, "Come here, love."

Definitely winning. This was Darcy, running away. She scuttled over to a far-too-amused looking Jane, who in the meantime had been joined by one Pepper Potts, current boss. She didn't turn as she heard a grunt, and a slap of leather on fabric.

"Jane," Darcy pleaded as she reached the scientist, "Dude. Please tell me you had nothing to do with this." She finally succumbed to temptation and looked around at the brotherly bash-up escalating behind her.

Jane innocently shrugged, "Why on earth would I want my boyfriend to kiss you?" Her brown eyes shone mischievously. "What could that possibly achieve?"

Darcy gaped at her. "Uh, maybe THAT?" She swung her arm around without looking to the two gods currently having at it. "Couldn't you just CALL him?"

Jane sniffed, unamused. "He wasn't returning our calls."

"So Thor had to TONGUE PROBE me?"

"It got his attention."

"No shit, Sherlock." Darcy stomped her foot. "Now, fix!"

All three women jumped as a spectacular sounding crack caused the ground to shudder. Pepper visibly winced as the marble floor cracked beneath Thor, who was attempting to stop Loki's knee from squishing his throat. "Ooo, Tony is not going to be happy-"

"Who the hell invited Bamm Bamm and Pebbles?!" Speak of the devil.

"Greetings, Man of Iron!" Thor cheerfully called out from the floor.

Loki yelled in rage. "You will not speak with that traitorous tongue!" His hands lunged for his brother's face. "I'm going to rip it out!"

Tony made a frustrated sound and scanned the three women's faces. He stopped on Darcy. "You. Boop. Spill."

Darcy blanched, "Me? It wasn't my-" She was cut off as two large hands grabbed her hips from behind.

"You. Stark," a slightly battered Loki snarled at the other man over her shoulder, "are treading on thin ice."

"Loki," Jane piped up, "we just needed to-"

"No," the god sniffed, "I don't want to. Come, love."

Before Darcy could gasp, they both disappeared from the now less-than-pristine foyer.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow, I'm blown away by the response to my first chapter of a measly 600 or so words! You're all awesome. All. Of. You.
> 
> Here is the inevitable plot stuff, so the first chapter makes more sense. A little more. Okay, not a great deal, but you know- plot.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Loki, kneel before me! No? Okay, still not mine. Workin' on it though...

**Chapter Two**

**SIX MONTHS EARLIER**

**LONDON**

"Erik. Pants," Darcy sing-songed as she passed the older man on her way to the small bathroom. He looked down, surprised.

"Are they absolutely necessary?"

"Absolutely."

He sighed. "Fine." He trudged back to his room.

Darcy hummed happily to herself as she began her make-up routine for a birthday dinner. More specifically, her birthday. Twenty-five years old today! It was exciting as this once, dinner would be more than Indian takeout from the shop on the corner.

Slicking on her favourite red lipstick, Scarlet Woman, she gave one last pout to the mirror before baring her teeth to check for lippy stains. Jane peered into the bathroom. "Good look, Darce," she snickered as a finger began rubbing away the bonus red from Darcy's canines.

"Thanks," she replied, pretending obliviousness as she struck a pose.

"Ten minutes before the taxi arrives," Jane called as the brunette left the bathroom.

"Okie dokie!" She poked her head back in. "Beef-cake here?"

"Just arrived," Jane replied, floofing her hair. "He's attempting to suit up now." She snickered a little. "Ian meeting us there?"

"Yup."

Forty minutes and a lame text message later, it was made apparent that Ian was not meeting Darcy, Jane, Thor and Erik there. Darcy blinked back the tears as she stared at his message again. "I'm so sorry, Darcy," Jane got up and wrapped herself around the other woman's shoulders. Darcy leaned a little into her friend's embrace.

"It's okay." Her voice wavered only a little. "He wouldn't have been able to handle these awesomely rich dishes anyway." She ignored the pitying look Jane cast Thor and Erik across the pristine white table and spotless cutlery. Jane sat back down and Erik gave Darcy's shoulder a quick rub.

Darcy kept her head down as their dishes arrived, instead snatching up her glass of bubbly. "Happy birthday to me," she muttered under her breath, taking a generous swallow.

The meal was more subdued, but the trio managed to bring a smile to Darcy's face with their gifts. The necklace she received from Jane and Thor was particularly beautiful. Darcy gasped as she opened the intricately carved box. "Oh, wow," she breathed, "that is amazing!"

The thin gold chain glittered under the dim restaurant lights and resting on the soft material lining the inside was a rectangular gold pendant with a diamond shape etched smoothly into the surface.

"This is the rune of Ingwaz," Thor spoke softly, "it means the beginning of potential, the start of something special."

Darcy's eyes filled with tears the second time that night. Different tears, thank goodness. "Aw! Thank you!" She lifted the necklace carefully and unclipped it, immediately placing it around her bare neck. "Thank you so much," she said again, stroking the gold pendant. It grew warm, almost hot, against her skin.

"It suits her perfectly, Thor," Jane hummed happily. "You did a good job." Thor blushed a little at the praise.

"Anything for such a good friend," he murmured.

The rest of Darcy's birthday dinner passed in much better cheer, with only a phone call from her mom interrupting. But later that night, alone in her cramped bedroom, where she was most assuredly not crying, Darcy began to feel... trapped. Twenty-five, barely living off an interns wage, dumped by her boyfriend for a super important SHIELD lab based in Dubai. Ugh. Her face twisted.

Out. I need to get out, she thought. Let's do this. Her fingers brushed against the gold pendant at her throat. Let's start something special.

* * *

 

**NEW YORK**

Darcy snarled at the black-suited man standing in front of her. "So you're basically saying I'll never work in this town again, right?"

The SHIELD agent sighed the sigh of the long suffering and pinched the bridge of his nose, headache obviously forming. "Ms Lewis, there is really no need to be so dramatic. I am just pointing out that due to your interactions with the alien known as Thor-"

"-I'll never work in this town again." She huffed. "What the hell am I supposed to do, then, huh? I'm stuck in New York, freakin New York! And I can't get work because of your 'interactions with the alien' policies."

It only took thirteen turned down applications for her to figure out something must have been going on.

"I have offered you an entry level job in our-"

"I've been an intern. I've done intern. I'm moving on from intern. What else have you got, since SHIELD has so determined my fate?"

The agent looked pleadingly at her. "It is a generous package, Ms Lewis."

Darcy folded her arms across her chest. Money did sound good. But, no. Starting something special. "Okay, okay, relax, Agent J." He didn't relax. He looked slightly offended instead. Geez, no sense of humour, these guys. "I'll get back to you." She walked to the office door and turned back once more. "Sorry about the trouble, I know this isn't entirely your fault."

He looked as if he couldn't decide whether to be offended at that one. Darcy smirked as she left SHIELD Headquarters.

And walked straight into Stark Tower.

* * *

**FIVE MONTHS AFTER THAT**

"I humble myself before you, O Queen of All Knowing and Great Beauty! I beseech thee, grant me a sweet morsel from your plate of excellence."

Darcy considered the billionaire kneeling before her with a cold glare over the rims of her glasses. She ignored the sound of the door to the lunch room opening as she considered her next move. Lifting her chin, she declared, "I have considered your supplication, mortal man, and will grant you this gift of sustenance. Rise, and take." She slid a plate bearing a roast chicken sandwich off the bench and handed it to Tony Stark, as he jumped off the floor eagerly.

Finally, she turned to the tall man choking by the door, eyebrow raised. "I think there's been a shift in the dynamics of this place that I missed," Captain America, sans patriotic uniform, wheezed through his laughter.

"Get on your knees before me and maybe I'll grant your wishes too," she winked at him and sauntered over to her own sandwich while Steve's ears turned pink.

"Or maybe I'll just get my own lunch," he replied as she snickered.

"So, sweetheart," Tony mumbled around his sandwich, "what's the plan for dealing with that software company, and how do we get away with expending as little energy on it as possible?"

Steve rolled his eyes as he poured himself a coffee. "Maybe if you stopped blowing them off every time Miss Lewis arranges to meet with them, you could actually have something worked out, instead of them bringing a lawsuit against you."

Tony pulled a face and shrugged. "But where's the fun in that?"

"Boy, boys. Don't make me separate you two," Darcy interrupted, waving a hand between them. "Tony, Pepper and I are sorting it out without your input this time. Steve, sweetie, please call me Darcy."

Tony-Wrangler. Darcy's unofficial job title. Her official job title was Communications and Media Assistant under Virginia 'Pepper' Potts for Stark Industries. She got to use a bit of her political knowledge and a dash of her natural charm to show the world that Tony Stark, and subsequently, his company, are wonderful people to deal with.

So then began the Tony-Wrangling. The man himself hated being told what to do, but reluctantly made a few contributions to public relations exercises before disappearing into his lab, or elsewhere. The latest threatened lawsuit came from Greene Software. Tony insisted that it was an accident, but Darcy would eat her right shoe before she believed that he didn't mean to humiliate the new CEO by pointing out how good his new Starkphone was to livestream crotch scratches, namely the CEO's said crotch.

And so the afternoon continued without Tony's input. Leaning back in a chair and stretching her slim frame, Pepper looked over at Darcy, who was yawning widely.

"Hey," Pepper asked curiously, "are you still having those dreams?"

Eyes wide, Darcy looked around quickly then hissed, "Pep! Y'can't just say that out loud!"

"What, why?"

A flush spread across Darcy's cheekbones. Ugh. Why did she ever tell her boss about those? "They're not exactly-" Wild hand gestures ensued, "-fit for polite company..." She trailed off.

"Wait," Pepper's eyes lit up. "Wait a minute. Are they getting better? Because, last time-"

"Argh! Stop!" Darcy held up both her hands. "Yes. No! They are! Shut up!" She buried her face in her hands now. "It's just some hormone thing. Really."

Pepper giggled but had mercy on her Communications and Media Assistant. "Look, we've all had them, Darce. Don't worry about it."

"Easy for you to say, Ms Tony-Stark-Is-Warming-My-Bed. Same guy. Same increasingly-detailed dream. Since bloody Ian dumped me," she moaned.

"Well, it does no harm does it?"

"Apart from some sleepless nights and frustrated mornings, nah." Darcy suddenly chuckled. "I'll keep working on the Capsicle in the meantime." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh captain, my captain."

Pepper snorted and threw a pen at her. "You are awful. Stop hanging out with Tony."

* * *

 

Darcy bit her lip as her lover's fingers traced their way up the inside of her thigh. "Don't hold back, love," he whispered, and she moaned a bit too loudly. He chuckled appreciatively and replaced his fingers with his lips. She yelped and arched her back into the mattress, a shaking hand reaching down and spearing itself into his soft hair, immediately becoming tangled in the long strands. His delicious scent teased her nostrils and she took a deep breath, sighing throatily. She could feel his cool breath moving closer to her-

Left bunny slipper.

"Dammitallta-" Darcy bellowed, tossing the offending rabbit across the room. "Arrgh! Why can't you just let me-" What? Finish? Sleep without dream lovers? Have a heart to heart over a cup of coffee with her favourite dream lover about the rudeness of leaving her in this state of high tension? Honestly, one day, dude. One day and she'll snap.

With a frustrated sigh, she threw off her blankets and retrieved both of her slippers and jammed her feet into them, not entirely sure she could ever forgive Lefty. Scratching her belly absently through her faded Aerosmith t-shirt, Darcy made her way into her tiny kitchenette to make herself a you-should-be-ashamed-of-yourself triple hot chocolate because frankly, she deserved it. The fifth dream this week. Not only that, the fifth night in a row. Pepper was right to be concerned. Dammit, Darcy was fairly concerned herself that the gods of insomnia and erotica were out to get her. And she was actual friends with a god, so there was a strong possibility that they both existed.

She sagged onto one of the two tall stools that framed her small breakfast bar and propped her face up with one hand while she waited for the kettle to boil. "Ugh, someone save me from the wrath of vengeful gods," she muttered.

The kettle clicked off and she slid off the stool to make her treat. Humming a tune that had been stuck in her head all day, she was shuffling back to her bedroom when the ground shifted. Darcy had experienced one minor earthquake before, on a school trip to Japan in tenth grade, and nothing made the stomach lurch more than the very ground beneath your feet melting. Legs braced and knees bent in shock, she then quickly moved into the closest doorway, the one that opened into the lounge room.

"Whoa," she breathed, as another shift had her clutching the door frame. Eyes wide, she held her breath as she waited for another movement. Nothing. Good, hopefully. She blinked as she took in the hot chocolate still steady in her hand. "Ha! Skills!" She chortled as she carefully left the door frame.

That's when she felt it. All the air in the room cooled considerably and a fragrance that she had dreamed of not ten minutes before filled her lungs. She froze. That's not possible. Nope. Dreams are dreams. Especially those sorts of dreams. Time to get back to bed. But, maybe it's an idea just to check that she is actually alone. Turning slowly back to face the lounge she felt like someone had delivered a swift punch to the gut as she took in the dark shadow that was not there before. It took a step closer, and the light from the street outside fell on sharp cheekbones, hair darker than night, and eyes that made her freeze all over again.

In that moment, Darcy realised two things: first, that her dream lover was apparently real, as evidenced by the gorgeous cologne he was wearing and the soft dark hair her dream hands had clutched; and second, that her dream lover was currently standing next to her twenty dollar charity shop coffee table at two in the morning.

Oh, and third. Her now apparently real dream lover was Loki, God of Mischief, Lies, a failed alien invasion of New York and supposedly dead brother of Thor.

Well, that cleared things up considerably.

Wonderful.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The God of Mischief and Lies stood with an unnatural stillness as his eyes fell on Darcy. She was kind of hoping that if she didn't move, he wouldn't notice her.

Hey, it worked in Jurassic Park.

He took a sudden step closer and Darcy responded by skittering away at least three. There was no way this particular god was coming anywhere-

"Woman," he growled. Yes, growled. She didn't think men actually growled for real.

"What?" She replied rather inanely.

"Cease moving." 

"Uh, no. No, no, I'm okay moving, thanks." She took another step toward her bedroom. Maybe thin timber bedroom doors are his weakness?

"Not a request," he spoke softly, eyes burning. He was suddenly right in front of her. She yelped, understandably, and threw her Triple Chocolate Delight at him.

Holy crap. That's it. This is how it ends. With hot chocolate dripping down the front of an evil undead zombie god's armour. Darcy's heart dropped into her stomach and promptly ceased beating but she didn't dare blink, in case it was the last thing she ever did.

He slowly took in the chocolately goodness dripping down his leather clad chest and pooling down by his leather clad toes. He looked up again and Darcy's startled brain imagined a slight upturning of his lips. But there was no way he could be smiling, right? Okay, time to beg. Darcy was not above begging.

"Please don't kill me," she whispered. Loki waved a hand and the hot chocolate disappeared, not even leaving a stain on the carpet. He then looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Why would I kill you?" He asked as if genuinely curious about her answer.

She helplessly waved her empty mug at his outfit. "That?"

He chuckled as he plucked the mug from her hand. The moment it left her fingers it was gone, and Loki smiled at her gasp. "As you can see, no harm done."

"My mug?" Clearly, Darcy's priorities were slightly out at that moment.

Ignoring her last remark, Loki suddenly drew himself up to his full (impressive) height and clasped his hands behind his back. Taking a deep breath he said, "Loki Laufeyson, Prince of Asgard, at your service, my lady." He bowed gracefully, and, still bent at the waist, he looked at her again. "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

Darcy was, funnily enough, frozen again. Did he just introduce himself?

"My lady?" He prompted.

And call her 'my lady'?

Her mouth opened and a sound a little like 'guh' spilled out. Loki straightened, frowning. "Oh, uh-" Don't make the god angry, Darce. "Darcy Lewis." He cocked his head a little to the side, as if expecting more. "Uh, how're you doing?" Her voice cracked on the last word. What _is_ this? He growls, then bows and freakin _introduces himself_?

At least it didn't look like he was going to skin her alive and wear her skin as a onesie or whatever bad guys do. For now, anyway.

She jumped as he held out a hand, palm up. "Um, w- what?" She stuttered, confused.

"Give me your hand, Lady Darcy," he said with a smile that never graced his features during the Battle of Manhattan. She shook her head. His tone took on a touch of warning, "Give it to me."

"No." Her voice shook as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Lady Darcy, give me your hand," he commanded.

"Why?" She was pretty sure it would be a bad thing for him to touch her.

Loki reached out and gripped her right arm with his cool, long fingered hands, and at the touch of his cool skin on hers she leapt back again, thumping into the wall next to her bedroom door, her arm still in his possession. Darcy attempted to loosen his grip, only to be pulled back, his face now inches from hers. Who did he think he was? Apart from from a god. An undead one. With homocidal tendencies.

She could feel her body flush with adrenaline. Uh, oh. This was the part where her mouth works before her brain can catch up.

"Let me go, asshole!" She snarled. Shit.

"Give me your hand, woman!" So much for his manners.

"Oh, I'm woman again, huh? How 'bout, no. You don't get my hand until I know why the hell you're still alive and looming and in my freakin apartment."

He narrowed his eyes at her, and, well, she narrowed hers right back. If she was going to die dressed only in a t-shirt, better make it count. But she really, really hoped she wouldn't die dressed only in a t-shirt.

"Agreed. You grant me a favour if I tell you why I am here." Oh, that smile didn't bode well for Darcy.

"Wait, no. You get my-"

"A favour, please, Lady Darcy." His eyes looked so guileless and innocent. How the hell does he do that? So pretty. Don't let him-

"A small one," she grumbled. Dammit. Loki smiled brightly and dropped his hand from her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind as his long fingers trailed down to her wrist. Her arm flopped uselessly to her side and she took a step back again. Really, the god had no concept of the personal bubble.

Darcy clasped her hands in front of her and tried to look like she hosted evil zombie gods in her apartment every other night. Loki was still looking at her with a bright grin, flashing all his pearly whites. It was more than a little creepy, now. "Uh, yep. So, you can, you know, start," she said, heart still beating faster than what was healthy.

"Lady Darcy," he began, voice smooth, "I seem to have arrived at an inopportune time."

"Really? I hadn't noticed, Evil Zombie God." Shit. Again with the mouth, Darce! He leered again and waved at her lower half.

"Do you wish to complete your clothing ensemble?"

Oh, legs. And panties. Hence leering. Hey!

Darcy crossed her arms in indignation. "No, Leery McLeerface. You came in here uninvited, you put up with the legs."

He shrugged, "It will be no hardship on my part, just wishing to preserve your modesty, my lady."

Leer.

"Ugh!" She threw her hands up to distract from her reddening face. "Just start already!"

He chuckled - why was the homocidal God of Lies acting so normal?! - and began, "I awoke from my life threatening injuries several of your Midgardian months ago with no memory of who I was or how I came to be on Vanaheim..."

And so he spun a tale worthy of gods and heroes as to how he survived his 'death' on Svartalfheim, the death that Jane witnessed and left Thor in shreds, and how he recovered his memories and what his next move would be.

He paused for a moment in his wild tale - Darcy could _smell_ the bullshit on this one - his sharp features suddenly focussing on the framed print behind her. His eyes widened as he recognised who it contained. Loki stalked past her and ripped the picture off the wall. He spun back with the cheap wooden frame clutched in his large hand and stepped into Darcy's personal bubble again.

"Hey!" She protested, shoulders against the wall again. "What is your-"

"What is this?" He hissed, thrusting the photo in her face. She pushed his hand away, well, tried to.

"A photo of my friends, you psycho. Give that back-"

"Friends? With Thor and his woman?" She could hear the disbelief in his voice, and unfortunately, the verge of pissed-off-ness.

"Yes, dammit! Give it back!"

"Who are you, woman?" He demanded. Oh, shit. Scary god again.

"I told you, Darcy Lewis!" She yelled back, voice rising in pitch.

"You cannot be friends with Thor, the spell was supposed to find-"

"Spell? What spell?"

"-your magical signature-"

"My what? My magic? What do you-"

"Who is your father, your mother, woman?" 

"What! Dammit, just tell me what's going-"

Loki snatched the frame out of Darcy's grasping hands and threw it against the lounge room doorframe behind him. She jumped as the frame shattered then yelped as he whirled back around and pinned her to the wall. His hand wrapped itself around her throat and Darcy felt the cold rush of fear flood her insides.

Loki was breathing hard, his nostrils flaring as he obviously tried to calm himself down. She could feel his cool breath brushing her face. Mmm, minty. Argh. Inappropriate.

"Don't be scared, Lady Darcy," he said in a voice deeper than normal, "I will not hurt you." The hand loosened and came to rest on her collarbone.

Her throat loosened up enough to ground out, "Oh yeah? And why should I believe you?"

"Because you will be my wife," he said simply, and his lips covered hers.

That was unexpected. And extremely pleasant.

Wait, no. Darcy protested, but found herself rather with a mouthful of talented tongue. Ooo, that's nice, how did he- No! His _wife_?! Her traitorous hands, lifted in preparation to push him off, instead tightened in the leather of his tunic and pulled him closer.

There was no denying that he was her Dream Lover now. The taste of his mouth, the feel of his long fingers on her skin, and the hardness of his body against hers. That delicious, delicious smell. Except the reality was infinitely superior to the dream. Infinitely. She could feel herself softening as he continued to dance with her lips, and moaned when his lips moved down her neck to lave at her collarbone with that very special tongue. She combed her fingers through his long hair and caressed his scalp. He responded with a growl and pressed her up against the wall, one hand sliding up her thigh, which had somehow made it's way around his hips.

Her brain decided at that point to begin functioning again, and made a very snarky comment relating to Darcy's lack of sexytimes and the fact she was FREAKIN MAKING OUT WITH THE EVIL ZOMBIE GOD OF LIES.

Good point. She attempted to tear her mouth away from his. "Loki," she gasped, grabbing a long fingered hand as it made it's way to the hem of her t-shirt.

He moaned into her skin, "Yes, love. Say my name again."

"Stop, Loki- ahh!"

"Close enough, love."

"I mean it!" She hissed as his cool fingers brushed the skin of her hip.

Her knees buckled and in desperation she yelled, "Stop!" The gold Ingwaz pendent from Thor around her neck began to grow warm, then hot. And Loki stopped. He pulled back stiffly as someone had just grabbed the scruff of his neck. Surprise and something else glowed in his green eyes.

Then he grinned like he won the lottery. Not just the fifty dollar one either.

Jackpot.

"I knew I chose right," he whispered. He snatched up her right hand in both of his, leaned down for one last stolen kiss, and left her, holding her t-shirt down with her left hand and with a rapidly cooling Ingwaz rune tattooed onto her right palm.

Darcy was still attempting to catch her breath when she whined to herself, clutching her tattooed hand to her chest, "This is NOT what I meant when I said I wanted to meet more guys."


	4. Chapter Four

Darcy flexed her hand beneath the sports strap she had wrapped around it. Gritting her teeth, she pointedly picked up her pen again to ignore the mark permanently etched into her flesh, and began to furiously write notes on whatever Greene Software's CEO Daniel Greene-Taylor happened to be droning on about on the opposite side of the conference table.

After her midnight visit from SHIELD's Most Wanted, Darcy had immediately ran to her room and packed a bag. There was no way in hell she was waiting to see whether the god was going to return to check on his future bride.

Good thing Stark Industries was a 24-7 kind of place with staff showers and gyms and whatnot. Not that Darcy had ever wanted or needed to use the showers or gyms or whatnot before.

That may explain the slightly confused looks she garnered from the Communications office staff as they began trailing in from seven that morning. Darcy was still desperately hoping her erotic dreams and lack of sleep had gotten out of hand. Because, seriously, a dream was so much easier to handle than the reality- 

"Ms Lewis?" 

Ah, shit. 

"Yes, ma'am." She had totally been paying attention this whole time.

Pepper gave her a small sympathetic smile - if only her boss knew why Darcy was residing in the Twilight Zone - "Could you please go to my office and collect the files Mr Stark set aside for this meeting? The backup ones," she added. Ah, things not going so well then.

Daniel Greene-Taylor's lip twisted as Tony was mentioned. This reconciliation meeting wasn't going in the direction she and Pepper had hoped. The CEO kept going on about 'disrespecting his step-father's legacy' and 'breaking trust with the economic and technological community', so the backup files were the last ditch offer that Pepper and Darcy could convince Tony to go with. The billionaire himself disliked Daniel, which explained the whole Live-Crotch-Stream, but since he disliked so many people, he resigned himself to a final offer to allow a few members of Greene's R&D department exclusive access to Stark's own labs, personally ushered through by Doctor Jane Foster, recently returned from London, alien boyfriend in tow.

An offer he couldn't refuse, right?

Apparently not. The CEO's dark eyes filled with a sort of eerie anticipation which he tried to hide under words of dissatisfaction as Pepper went over the new terms of settlement. Darcy couldn't control the little shiver of distaste that ran through her as the deal was sealed with a handshake. She turned to Daniel after smiling tightly at his aide and tried not to mentally favour the feel of a homocidal psycho god's cool, dry hands compared to the CEO's cold, clammy ones.

"An injury?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and turning her bandaged wrist over in his, prolonging the handshake.

She gently pulled her fingers out of his grasp. "Just an old one, from when I played soccer. Goalie," she lied smoothly. "Never really go away, do they?"

His eyes assessed her a moment longer. "No, they don't," he agreed. He smiled again. Creepy.

Pepper visibly relaxed when Daniel and his team of aides and lawyers left. "Hey," Darcy said softly so their own legal team, still clearing the table, didn't overhear, "You okay Boss Lady?" The blonde threw Darcy a tired smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. That guy just rubs me up the wrong way. I feel like I need a shower after every meeting with him."

"Ugh. Tell me about it. Major creeper."

"Glad I'm not the only one," Pepper laughed softly. She straightened and smoothed her expensive looking suit jacket over her hips. "Hey, did you want a coffee? I need some fresh air after that. I'm buying," she added enticingly.

"Yes, please!" Darcy perked up at even the thought of coffee. Pepper grinned and left the room under a pile of folders. Darcy slowly made her way back to her office, clenching and unclenching her hand. She pushed her door closed partway and looked down at the strap. Her stomach felt hollow as she unwrapped the bandage and stared at the emerald green rune. What the hell should she do? She felt she was going a bit mad, simultaneously horrified and relieved with the thought that this could all be in her head. Thor would be so happy if he found out his brother was alive. The first few months after his return to London saw the normally cheerful God often despondent, the shock of losing both his mother and the man he still saw as his brother so soon after one another wearing him down. He was only now starting to talk to Jane about it.

Darcy shook her head. She couldn't do that to the big guy. She wrapped her hand up again, tears pricking her eyes. She was just _so tired_. How could she possibly deal with something of this magnitude on less than 20 hours of sleep over five days? She absently fanned her face and willed away the tears.

Enough. Darcy picked her phone off her desk and furiously swiped at the screen. She was going out tonight and ain't nobody gonna stop her.

"Tony? Dude, I need a place to get dressed up and get my boogie on."

"'Course people still say boogie!"

"Well, obviously your definition of the word is different from mine-"

"Very different. What have you been reading, dude? That's twisted even for me."

"Twis-ted. No, shut up! I'm as pure as the driven snow."

"Oh, ha ha, Mr Stark. That's a dad joke you know."

"Totally is, don't bother denying it, sweetie. So, place? Dancing? Alcohol?"

"Awesome. You, sir, will be rewarded with gastromic delights made by my talented hands. Laters!"

Darcy smiled as she hung up. Mission Pretend Loki Doesn't Exist. Stage One: complete.

* * *

 

Okay. It's just an apartment. A crappy one at that. Darcy shifted from one foot to another in front of her apartment door in an awkward dance of indecision. He's not going to be in there. Of course he's not.

Darcy stamped her foot with a sound of frustration and quickly unlocked the door. Shutting it quietly behind her, she crept across the floor to her room, sweeping her eyes across the cramped kitchen and lounge. All clear. Hopefully.

She hurriedly pulled open her draws and started piling things onto her bed. Underwear, shirts, work clothes, party dress, booty shorts, sneakers, and a pair of five inch heels disappeared into her backpack. She ducked into her bathroom and swept the last of the toiletries she missed early that morning into a wash bag and dumped it into her oversized handbag. In her panic to get out, she almost didn't notice her new rune tattoo warming the skin of her hand. Then she did. Hand fluttering near her throat like a trapped butterfly, Darcy peered out of her door. All she could see was the wall and part of the entrance to her lounge. The photo frame Loki shattered was still lying misshapen on the worn carpet.

Right. Time to move.

She swung her backpack on and picked up her handbag while plucking a coat off the hook behind her door. Making a beeline for the front door, she almost didn't notice the new addition to her kitchen bench.

Her favourite mug was back.

Darcy felt the most inappropriate reaction of laughter bubbling in her throat. Now, now, sweetie, now is not the time to lose it. Just get out. Her body wouldn't move, her eyes still locked onto the mug.

MOVE DAMMIT.

Her body acquiesced that time. Amazing what yelling at yourself can achieve.

* * *

 

Darcy supposed she asked for it, really, as she crossed her arms and stared at the glowing neon sign.

 _Stars on 45_. Resplendent with a flashing Afro and platform shoes. She snorted, then grabbed the reluctant Steve Rogers' hand and pulled him inside once the bouncer checked their names off the VIP list. "Come on, Cap! Time to enjoy the delights of the nineteen seventies," Darcy crowed back at him over her shoulder. "It's an era we both missed out on and, fortunately, we will never have to involuntarily re-live. Flares! Corduroy! Polyester Lounge suits! But, don't let their fashion choices put you off, because, let me assure you," she turned around and stopped, forcing the tall blonde to meet her serious gaze, "they had awesome music."

"I'll take your word for it, Mi- Darcy," he replied with a small smile. Darcy smiled back and tugged him along again. Approaching the private lounges, she could just make out the shape of a few of New York's finest Avengers. Tony, of course, was unmissable in a stylish three piece white suit topped with sunglasses worn inside. She wondered for a moment if instead of going slightly blurry all night, if she could have gotten away with wearing her prescription sunglasses. Tony leaned back beside Pepper as if he owned the club - not an entirely out there proposition - and raised an eyebrow.

"Lookin' good there, Betty Boop," he whistled.

Darcy dropped Steve's hand and played to the compliment by overdoing a typical pose from the iconic cartoon character. Lifting a foot clad in a glittery sling back heel behind her and blinking innocently at the billionaire, she giggled nasally, "Boop, boop a-doop!"

Steve smiled as he sat on the other side of Pepper. "Ah, finally a reference I can understand!"

Darcy grinned back as she adjusted the short sapphire blue dress over her legs to sit down. The parts of the legs it covered anyway. Ordering drinks with the halter necked clad waitress, Darcy leaned back in the vinyl booth but was slightly horrified to feel her eyes droop a little. No, no, no! No sleeping! Spotting Jane and an uncomfortable looking Thor heading over to their booth, she leapt up.

"Jane!"

"What?" Jane looked slightly alarmed at the wild look in Darcy's eyes.

"Dance with me!" She grabbed the scientist's arm.

"Wow. Guns blazing, huh?" Jane laughed and tossed her purse at Thor, ignoring whatever the god was trying to say to his girlfriend. The two women danced their way onto the disco-lit dance floor and grinned at each other as they began to twist their hips in time with 'Saturday Night Fever'. A few drinks and dances later left Darcy partnerless on the face floor, Thor not being able to stand the sight of Jane throwing the occasional provocative glance in his direction. Natasha had turned up at some point and was chatting quietly to Bruce in the VIP booth, and both Tony and Pepper had already had a spin on the dance floor, Darcy demanding a dance with each. But at that point, Darcy didn't care that she was alone. A very pleasant buzz had pervaded her limbs and she was just at the point of a bit more than tipsy, but not quite drunk.

She felt a caress on her lower back, and she turned to face a tall man in tight black jeans and a long hoodie vest, hood pulled over his hair and pale, muscular arms reaching for her. The soft smile she absently had plastered on her face suddenly faded and her feet froze.

"Loki." She whispered breathlessly. There was that swift punch to the gut feeling again. Unpleasant, to say the least.

"Lady Darcy," he replied, inclining his head slightly. "A pleasure."

Darcy began to turn, to run, to catch Thor's attention. Anyone's attention, really, but Loki pulled her into a tight embrace, one hand just above her backside, the other twisting into her loose hair. "Oh no, love. We don't need your over zealous friends to know I'm here." He began to move to the music.

Darcy resisted, her face pushed against his thin t-shirt. She tried not to notice the play of muscles beneath her cheek, and wedged her hands against his chest to push herself away. "Get. Off. Me." She hissed, heart thumping wildly in her chest.

He got off. Huh.

Loki's face looked slightly surprised. Well, it looked a bit like surprise. Darcy really didn't have a reference point for the Expressions of Loki: Psycho God Edition. His brows drew together and snatched up her right hand in his and began to draw her away from the Avengers. Oh, help. Not good. She pulled back on her hand, leaning her whole body away to resist the unstoppable force. He didn't let go this time, instead stroking the inside of her palm with a thumb, just under her strap.

Darcy stumbled into him with a gasp. "What the-" Her entire body heated with what, on a normal day, could be called arousal. But there was no way-

"Wha- what did you do to me?" She whispered. Loki didn't appear to hear, continuing to pull her along, a rhythmic stroking of her palm ensuring Darcy tottered along behind him like a lost child. By the time Loki pushed their way through the crowds and out of the emergency exit into the cool New York night, Darcy managed to gain a semblance of control over the reactions racking her body.

"Right!" She snarled, snatching her hand away. The god turned back to her, eyebrow raised. "What the fuck do you want with me, Loki?"

She was glorious, standing there in her midnight blue dress, the satin material softly caressing the tops of her thighs. Her legs were braced slightly apart, as if ready to take him on, and her small hands, so incredibly soft, were clenched into fists at her sides. Bright blue eyes flashed at him in anger and not a little fear, and her full lips were pulled back against white teeth. Her chestnut hair was again loose and the wind swept a lock across her face, which she impatiently pushed back behind her ear-

"Stop checking me out and answer me!"

Feisty. An unexpected but pleasing development.

Loki took a step closer. She straightened away from him. "You," he gestured to her, "and I," he lay a hand over his own cold heart, "are destined, love."

Darcy pulled back further, this time taking a small step. There was more fear than anger now. "No," she replied firmly, pleased her voice didn't shake.

"Yes," he glided closer. Ooof. Wall. That was becoming a habit. Darcy frantically twisted her head to either side for an escape route as the dark god leaned close. "Oh, yes, Lady Darcy-"

Duck and roll. She whipped under his arm and faced him again, slowly backing up to the club's exit door. A grin split the god's face and Darcy didn't know whether to run or melt at the sight.

"This is insane," she muttered, reaching behind her for the door long release bar. She raised her voice, "In. Sane. You get that? Just- leave me alone. Uh, please." She leaned on the bar ready to run back into the club and Avenger-Style back up. And leaned again. She risked taking her eyes off Loki to see what the hell was wrong with the stupid door.

"Don't leave, Lady Darcy," he pretended to plead with a smug look. "Please."

Darcy glared at him again, resisting the urge to flip him the bird. Instead, she reached into her bra and pulled out her phone. Screw this. Loki's eyes sharpened at the movement.

"Don't."

"What?" She replied as casually as she could, under the circumstances.

Oop. In her personal bubble again. "Don't," he repeated.

"Why not?"

He suddenly dropped his head back and let out a great heaving sigh. "Because I will explain things to you if you put that away." He nodded his head at the phone in her hand.

She considered and tried not to let his delicious scent influence her decision. Darcy craned her head up and peered carefully at him. "You're not going to kill me?" He shook his head, hair dropping across one sharp cheekbone. "Not even a bit?"

The side of his mouth quirked. "Not even a bit."

"Okay, fine." Darcy tucked the phone back into the bra, looking up again after she thought she heard Loki suck in a breath. His gaze was locked on her chest. "Hey! Eyes up here, sweet cheeks."

"Yes, ah- yes." He tore his green eyes away with a touch of effort. "Yes," he repeated. "Destiny. Preordination. Fate. Magic. Whatever you wish to call it, it has played a role in bringing us together."

Hmm. Soul mates with an evil zombie god. Darcy felt reality slip a little from her fingers. This felt like the plot of a paranormal romance. "Magic?"

"Yes, love. Magic," he said softly. He took her wrapped hand in both of his and the bandage disappeared. She gasped as the rune tattoo was exposed.

"Magic," she whispered, turning her hand over, "you really can do magic."

Loki chuckled, "In a world of men of iron and super soldiers, you're impressed with a bit of rudimentary magic?"

"Are you kidding me? Every kid dreams of getting their letter to Hogwarts or finding Narnia at the back of a wardrobe."

"Who is this Hogwart?"

"Never mind. Why are you not trying to kill people?"

He blinked at the sudden change of topic. "I am- it is not my purpose to start a war. That was a- a difficult time for me-"

Darcy snorted. "No kidding."

He glared but continued, "I am attempting to make a fresh start, of sorts."

"Why did you fake your death again? Thor's-"

"Thor has nothing to do with this. Him believing me dead is for the best-"

"I disagree-"

"It is. For now, at least. Until certain procedures can be put into practice-"

"Procedures? What procedures?"

He made a small sound of frustration. "Will you stop interrupting me, woman?"

"You're not helping! You're- ow! Why's this damn tattoo always burn-" He took her mouth with his. Oh, boy, he tasted good. His lips played with hers, tasting and pulling back as she literally went weak in the knees. Loki solved that by slipping an arm around her waist, the other trailing down her arm. He took her right hand in his and began to stroke the Ingwaz tattoo with his long fingers. A bolt of arousal hit Darcy so hard she screamed into his mouth.

"Holy crap!" She screeched, slightly muffled, "What the hell is up with that?"

Loki gazed down at her with hooded eyes. "A sign, love. I searched for my perfect partner and found you." His cool breath washed over her face as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "My bride."

"You keep saying that. Bride. I'm not freakin ready for marriage," she huffed, pushing him away slightly. "Why me?"

"You must be Aesir, or have a parent who was, that is the only explanation as to why the spell chose a Midgardian." He began to kiss her neck. "Who are your parents, love?"

Darcy fought the goosebumps that broke out across her skin at the touch of his lips. "Uh, I- ah, I was adopted," she whispered distractedly. Geez Louise, he was good at that.

That made him pull back. He looked down at her, a crease forming between his green eyes. Then he looked sharply to the left.

"Sorry to interrupt this tender moment," Tony spoke up, his sharp brown eyes locked onto Loki, "but could Bella please tell me what the hell she's doing with Edward?"


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, you gorgeous people, for all the encouragement and reviews and kudos and bookmarks and all that stuff!
> 
> In return, another chapter!
> 
> This one was far too much fun writing. Tony and Loki face off...

Immediately Darcy felt the disconcerting sensation of being lifted off her feet away from Tony, until all she could see was Loki's broad shoulders. Did he just hide her from Tony? Seriously?! Just who was the Big Bad here? "Hey!" She protested, giving him a small thump on his back.

Loki didn't turn around as he said pleasantly, "In a moment, love."

Tony's eyes widened as he took in the scene. Was Reindeer Games _protecting_ Darcy? It certainly looked that way. The apparently-not-dead god had his eyes narrowed at the billionaire, bare arms spread to keep the young woman behind him.

"Stark," Loki spat.

"God of Lies," Tony returned blithely. "You," he pointed at Loki, "are supposed to be dead. Why aren't you dead?"

"Think about it, Stark," Loki's lip curled. "Not too hard, I wouldn't want you to damage anything."

"Oh, ha ha," he began to slowly pace to one side. "So, you look well," he drawled. "A vast improvement from the last time we chatted." Tony gestured at his own face. "A little more colour, I see."

Loki tracked Tony's movements, keeping Darcy hidden. Tony heard another muffled thump and a few choice words come from the unseen woman behind him. "I made a change to my health regime," Loki gave a sinister smile. "I decided to stop invading Midgard."

"That's great!" Tony exclaimed with false sincerity. "Now what're you into, ravishing young maidens?"

"Not a maiden, dude!" Darcy piped up. Tony rolled his eyes. Priorities, Darcy, please.

Loki gritted his teeth into a semblance of a smile. "There has been no ravishing. Yet." Tony tensed, not liking his implication. "This is between myself and the Lady Darcy. I am here for nothing else, Stark."

"Really?" He replied disbelievingly. "Nothing else? No nefarious plots involving space whales and evil sceptres?"

"Not at the present moment," Loki sniffed. "Now, if you don't mind-"

"Tony?"

Pepper's voice drifted through the exit door Tony had left slightly open and both men stiffened.

"Shit," came Darcy's voice again. Loki turned around and met her eyes urgently. Tony watched incredulously as the God wrapped his hands around the young woman's bare arms. He started towards them in protest, but stopped at the look in Loki's eyes.

"Come with me," he could hear him beg in a low voice. This. Is. Nuts. It was like Tony's mouth was permanently unhinged with shock. "I must explain some things to you. Come with me."

Darcy's big blue eyes widened. Her mouth opened, then closed and she swallowed as she slowly shook her head. "I can't." His hands tightened on her arms. "I don't know you. I can't just go with you!" Her voice rose as he pulled her closer.

"Alright, Edward," Tony interrupted, carefully drawing closer to the couple. "Let's give Bella a chance to think about her eternal soul, okay?" Loki turned to him with a snarl. "Hey," he locked gazes with the God, "if you have come here in peace, we will be seeing you again. Right?"

Loki rose to his full height, allowing his hands to drop from Darcy. "Right," he replied. With one more unreadable glance at the woman, he winked out of existence.

"Oh, Tony, you're here," Pepper said, relieved, as she poked her head out the door. "Thor wants to bring us to some German Beer Hall- oh, Darcy. What're you doing..." The blonde narrowed her eyes slightly at the two of them.

Darcy waved with a quick flap of her hand and a small smile. "I'm okay, Pep. Just a bit too much to drink." She mimed hurling.

Pepper's eyes widened. Darcy did look quite pale. "Oh. Ew. Ah, you okay now?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah. Fine!" Hopefully the other woman wouldn't notice how squeaky her voice had gotten."We'll be right there, sweetie," Tony assured her, and she ducked back into the club. "Darcy?"

"Yeah?"

"I think a little explanation is in order, don't you?"

"Um, no? I'm fine with the not explaining."

"Well, I'm not. Not at all, sweetheart."

"Well, too bad, Stark. You're just gonna have to wait 'cause not even I know what the hell is going on, okay?" Darcy stormed off, leaving Tony alone. Muttering a few choice words of his own, he left to follow her, hoping Lover God was done visiting until he could get a handle on things.

* * *

 

"I left a few things at the office," Darcy yawned as she leaned back into the leather seat of Tony's car, "it's okay for you guys to stop there. I can get home after."

Tony and Pepper were currently residing in the penthouse suite of Stark Tower and Darcy had left her bag of clothes under her work desk before heading out earlier that night. The couple didn't have to know that Darcy had no intention of leaving Stark Tower, just- relocating to sleep. Or not sleep. Whatever.

Their driver for the night - not Happy tonight, that dude rocks - pulled into the underground carpark and the three of them silently stepped into the elevator. Tony stepped in front of Darcy and raised his voice slightly. "Jarvis?" 

"Yes, sir."

"Penthouse suite, if you please."

"Oh, uh- level forty, please Jarvis," Darcy added. The AI was silent as the elevator continued past her level. "Ah, Jarvis?" She said in a small voice. Tony and Pepper as one turned to her, he crossed his arms and she placed her hands on slender hips. "Jarvis?" She squeaked.

"Darcy, Darcy, Darcy," Tony tut tutted. "You have been making some interesting friends lately, haven't you?"

Eyes wide, her gaze darted from one to the other. "Define interesting," she stalled, voice still high.

"'Oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die', interesting."

"Damn you, Stark. Don't you dare use Firefly against me," she breathed, appalled. "And besides," she spread her arms wide, "Look, no deaths."

"Give it time, sweetheart," he snorted. The elevator came to a silent halt with a polite bing as the doors opened. "Get in here."

"Do I have-"

"Yes."

"Dammit," she grumbled, and followed the couple into the sunken lounge room.

"Drink?" Tony called over a shoulder as he made his way to the bar. 

"Shit, yes," Darcy moaned, and collapsed into a leather love seat.

"Not for you. Pep?"

"Tony," Pepper admonished, "just bring her something, okay?" He saluted his better half and began to fill three tumblers with whisky. Balancing them between his fingers, he offered the first to Darcy, then sat down next to Pepper, handing her a glass. Leaning back and easing an arm around his girlfriend, he looked at Darcy with a raised eyebrow. She took a small sip of her drink.

Pepper glanced at Tony then turned back to the other woman with a sigh. "Darcy, honey, is it true?" She refused to answer. "Please. Tell us what's happening. We can help," the blonde said softly. Darcy took a deep breath. And another sip.

"So, uh, you know those dreams I've been having? The ones I told you not to tell anyone about?" Pepper nodded. "Yeah. That was Loki."

Tony turned to his girlfriend as she let out an interested 'oh' and his eyes widened as she took an abnormally large sip of her drink.

"Yeah," whispered Darcy, "Oh."

"Wait," Tony interrupted, "You've been dreaming about Loki and you didn't say anything?"

"Shit, dude," Darcy laughed haltingly. She could feel her face beginning to burn. "They're not the sort of dreams you share with your straight male friends!"

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. Anyway, last night he turned up at my apartment, got all scary, then he bows to me. Bows! But then he found out I'm friends with Jane and Thor, so he got scary again. Uh, thenhekissedme."

"He what, now?"

She could feel a tremor in her fingers. Best thing for that is a drink. She knocked back the rest of hers. "You heard me."

Both Tony and Pepper were leaning forward slightly, Pepper's hand was tightly clenching his thigh. Whether it was to hold her or him back, Darcy couldn't tell. Pepper calmly asked, "So why has he come now?" A little too calm.

Darcy shrugged helplessly, staring into her glass. "He keeps on saying I'm his 'bride'." Tony made a wordless protest in the back of his throat. "Maybe it's code for something. Like 'hostage', or 'human sacrifice' or something-" she mumbled.

Pepper pushed herself off the couch gracefully and sat down next to the other woman. Placing a gentle hand on her back, she asked, "He hasn't hurt you, Darce, has he?"

Darcy chuckled mirthlessly. "Apart from consistently scaring the shit out of me, no. He hasn't." She could sense a wordless exchange going on over her head.

"I think you should get some sleep," Pepper said.

She flushed hot and cold at the same time. "No. No way. If I sleep, I'll dream. I- I can't, Pep. Please-" Tony plucked her glass out of her hand and quickly filled it again.

"Here, a bit more of this and-" Darcy threw back the liquid and winced as it burned her throat. "-you'll sleep better."

"Thanks guys, I know you're just trying to help." She blinked heavily. "But I'd really prefer just to- to- um, prefer..." She suddenly couldn't for the life of her remember what she was going to say. Her eyes dropped. "I'm just gonna-" she slurred, then slumped onto the cushions.

"Good grief, Tony! How much did you put in there?" Pepper snatched the glass out of Darcy's loosening grip.

"Not that much, I swear!" Tony exclaimed.

"Poor baby," Pepper sighed. "She must have been exhausted." She looked up at her boyfriend. "Could you carry her to the guest room? Her bags are there already." He nodded, jaw locked tight as he contemplated the woman on the couch, face buried in the cushions. As he carried her to the spare room, Pepper following close behind, he came to a decision.

No god was going to mess around with his girl.

Very quickly Darcy had integrated herself into the workings of not only his company, but his life. She had become the little sister he never knew he needed. Guilt swept through him as he realised that he fell for her act of normality while working herself into exhaustion. Then to be targeted by a psychotic god? No wonder she was on the verge of hysteria all night.

Leaving Pepper to make the young brunette more comfortable, he let himself out onto his wide balcony. He let the shock and fury that he had been battling since he saw Loki leaning over Darcy play out on his normally unreadable face. Taking a calming breath he whispered heatedly, "Alright, you sick fuck. Time to explain yourself." Raising his voice he yelled, "Loki!"

For a moment, he could hear nothing but the wind against the side of the building and the distant sound of the traffic below.

"You bellowed?" Tony turned to see the dark god ease himself out of the shadows. He stalked over to him and before Loki could react, punched him across one of his high cheekbones.

"Fuck!" Tony gasped and shook his hand out.

"Ow," Loki said coolly. He faced Tony once again. "Do mortals greet each other like that often, or is it just me?"

"Just you, Reindeer Games." Tony could feel his fingers again, always a good sign.

"Lucky me," he grumbled, gingerly touching his face. Drawing himself up, he crossed his still bare arms in front of his chest. "I won't plead ignorance for this summons, Stark. I know she's in there," he nodded to the doors. "And I know you drugged her. So give me a fantastic reason why I shouldn't throw you off this ostentatious building and collect her right now."

Tony held up one finger. "Because A - you've done that before, and you wouldn't want to be accused of being unoriginal," Loki smiled tightly, lips pressed together. Tony held up a second finger. "And B - she doesn't want to go with you." The god's eyes hardened. "The alien invader of Earth is invading her dreams and stalking her waking hours." Tony's voice rose, "What the _hell_ is wrong with you, you sick-"

Loki snarled and lowered his arms as he stepped closer to tower over the billionaire. Dark energy crackled over Tony's skin and he suddenly questioned his chosen strategy of getting the god to open up. "You speak as if she were the only one suffering, Stark," he sneered. His eyes took on a wild look as he suddenly roared, "She has been haunting my dreams too!"

Loki blinked, as if just realising what he said, and withdrew, drawing into himself as he whirled away from the other man.

"She's been what?" Tony asked tightly.

"She dreams of me, I dream of her, that is how it works," he answered quietly.

"And what is the 'it' that is supposed to be working?"

Loki sighed heavily. "I sent a spell out to find my- bond-mate, I suppose you could call it. I did not do this lightly, but circumstances demanded it-"

"Circumstances?"

Loki eyed the other man. "Of which none are your concern." Tony snorted, then waved for him to continue. "The spell has been set for a good part of a Midgardian year, but would only activate when both parties had reached full maturity." The God began to pace, as if lecturing. Funnily enough, Tony could imagine him teaching a room full of kids. When he wasn't trying to annihilate the entire human race, that is.

"I, of course, am physically and mentally mature, and have been for some thousand years," he glared at Tony, who had rolled his eyes, "but Lady Darcy must have more recently come to age. How old is she?"

"Twenty five," Tony replied automatically. Then he winced. Ooh, she would not appreciate that.

Loki nodded. "Yes, physical and mental maturity for Aesir. That is when us more long-lived races stop the ageing process. She will not noticeably age for some time to come."

"I hate to tell you this, Lokes, but Darcy Lewis," he leaned forward and stage whispered, "is human."

Loki looked offended. "She is most certainly not. She was wearing her rune marking around her neck."

Tony thought hard. "You mean her necklace?" He shook his head. "It's just a necklace."

Loki raised a finger in admonishment. The disturbing image of the God as a teacher flashed again in Tony's mind. "Ah, no. That necklace holds a protection spell that activates only when worn by Aesir. She must have received it from her parents." Loki looked suddenly baffled. "But she said she was adopted-"

The god started along with Tony when the billionaire's cell phone burst into a chorus of 'Greased Lightning'. He automatically pulled out the device and answered it before he realised who would be on the other end.

"...OF IRON. I WISH TO SPEAK WITH THE MAN OF-"

"Thor, THOR! How many times- you don't need to yell into-" 

"AH, STARK! SORRY, uh- Stark. Tony, there you are-" Loki's eyes bugged open when he heard his former brother's voice blaring out of the phone. He took three massive steps back, as if trying to hide himself in the shadows again. But interestingly, Tony noted, he didn't leave. Or kill anything.

"I must speak with you and the Lady Pepper most urgently. I have neglected this talk for too long and I fear that- yes, yes, Jane, I am telling him-"

"What's this about, Thor?" He asked suspiciously. He heard the big man sigh.

"Lady Darcy."

 _That_ caught Loki's attention. He sprang out of the shadows and into Tony's personal space so fast he could smell the god's hair products.

"Whoa! Dude!" Tony thrust his phone behind him and his other hand at Loki. "Back the _fuck_ off!"

Loki did not look like he was going to back the fuck off. He had that wild-eyed look about him again, and he was eyeing Tony's phone like it was his last meal.

Tony quickly slapped a hand over the mouth piece. "What is wrong with you? Do you want your brother to know you're here?" He hissed.

"You keep inquiring as to my mental health, mortal, and I will show you just how many ways I am able to damage yours," he threatened smoothly.

"Fine. Just- step back," Tony ordered. Loki stood over him menacingly for a fraction longer before moving away. The billionaire released a short, sharp breath. His hands were not shaking. Not at all.

"-not working. STARK? CAN YOU HEAR-"

"I'm here, Point Break. What is it about Darcy?"

"Ah- right. I have reassured Jane-" a muffled feminine voice suspiciously sounding like 'I'm not reassured, you ass,' interrupted Thor, "ah, it- it is not life threatening in any way, but it will have to be raised with Darcy. Since you are like an older brother to her, I would like you to help me, us, with this."

Tony had his eyes locked on Loki, who was suddenly fighting a smirk. He really didn't like it when he smirked.

"What is it," he gritted out.

Thor hummed, then cleared his throat. "Oh, um- well, Darcy is-" he paused.

"Thor," Tony warned. 

"She's ah- no, I will not spit, Jane! I am a prince- Ow! SHE'S A GOD."

Tony ripped the phone away from his ear.

Silence.

"Like me," the blond God added with forced cheerfulness.

More silence.

"Isn't that nice?" He finished lamely.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Tony cleared his throat. He threw his head back and hummed, phone still attached to his ear. He cleared his throat again.

Thor was still on the other end, silent. The god was as quiet as he's ever been, but Tony could still hear Jane berating him that she couldn't believe he didn't tell her 'about my friend. My. Best. Friend.'

Loki, on the other hand, still had that smirk on his face. Added to that was a raised eyebrow, hands casually placed on hips and a pose that Tony had tried to replicate many a time, but never quite succeeded. Tony's lip twitched into a scowl. Another big tick on his list of 'Reasons to Hate the God of Lies,' just under 'Throwing me out of a window'.

Enough time for thinking. "Thor," he barked into the phone. "Here. Today. Noon." His voice dropped harshly, "Lady Darcy needs her sleep as for some reason, she hasn't slept properly for weeks."

"Yes, Tony," Thor sounded sufficiently contrite. Tony hung up on him before he could say anything else and rounded on the other Divine Pain in His Ass.

"And you-" Loki pointed elegantly at himself, innocence written all over his pale features. "You will be there too."

Oh, he didn't like that. "No, I will not," his features shifted from blameless to homocidal in seconds.

"You will, and do you know why?" Tony took a step closer. "It's because you caused this. You, and your brother. And I will not - Not! -have my Darcy suffering because of you two fuc-"

" _Your_ Darcy?" Loki snarled back. "I think you will find that she belongs to-"

"To who, you? Ha!" Tony laughed incredulously.

The god fisted his hand in Tony's crisp white shirt. "You will not touch her." He slapped Loki's hand away.

"Oh, you mean, like you don't? All over her with the stalking and clinging-"

"I do not _cling_ -"

"-and the 'come with me's. So help me, Loki, you have no right-"

"Fine!" Loki bellowed. "You've made your point, Stark! What will you have me do for Darcy?"

Tony grinned, but there was no humour in his eyes. "Here. Today. Noon," he repeated calmly.

Loki stared at him as if expecting him to change his mind. When no such retraction came from the billionaire, he sighed, "Agreed. But, may I make a suggestion?" Tony's face screamed 'are you kidding me', but the god continued, "For the safety of everyone involved, I would like to be able to- assess the volatility of the situation before I make my presence known to all and sundry."

Tony raised an eyebrow. Loki sighed again and disappeared. Tony's arms dropped in disbelief. After all this-

Loki appeared to his right. "A little party trick. No harm done."

"Right," Tony drawled, recovering quickly. "Still telling Darcy you'll be there, though."

Loki tensed, then visibly fought to relax. "I would expect nothing less from the Man of Iron." Loki paced a few steps away before turning back to Tony. "I have things to tend to. You will see me on the morrow."

Then he left. One moment there, the next, gone. Tony felt the tension drain from his shoulders, his body instinctively relaxing as the space cowboy exited Earth.

His mouth twisted sardonically. He couldn't wait for noon. 

* * *

The first thing Darcy noticed as she came to was an incredible case of dry mouth. Smacking her lips together in an attempt to gather moisture, she cracked open her eyes, only to close them again. Ugh. The light. It burns. Wait. She peered through her lashes again. This was not her roof. Or bed. Or- oh. Right-o.

She had a brief flash of some very pretty green eyes set in a psychotic god's face looking lustfully at her lips and she groaned. Yeah, so that happened. She sighed in frustration and glared at the ceiling.

"Fine," she muttered to herself, her voice rusty from sleep, "Let's deal with this." At least she slept. She rolled onto her belly and spotted her phone on the wooden bedside table. 10.43am? Wow. Not bad at all. She pushed the phone back onto the table and continued to roll out of bed. But instead of her legs pushing out of the comfy blankets, they tangled and she gave a little shriek as her ass hit the floor first.

She heard a soft snort and a smooth voice say, "One of her most endearing aspects is her instinctual elegance in all situations." Darcy gasped and pushed the blankets covering her face away. Of course he was hanging out in her room.

"Watching her while she sleeps - one of his," she responded, raising her middle finger.

"Oo," Loki breathed, pushing himself off the far wall, "that voice! If only it could be bottled. What a comfort it would be on those cold, lonely nights in Asgard."

He kept coming closer. Darcy struggled further with the blankets, feeling a bit like a worm on a hook. "Oh, yeah?" She threw back, trying not to panic. "Come any closer and you'll experience morning breath that has been known to kill small animals."

He fell onto all fours, prowling toward her in what appeared to be black suit pants and a black shirt, complete with emerald green cuff links. He leaned close, touching her cheek with a cool nose as she tried to shrink back into the blankets. "I accept that challenge, lo-" he coughed. Then wheezed, and coughed louder, clutching his throat. At the fake sounding gagging noises, she rolled her eyes and backhanded him lightly on the cheek. A joke. He has got to be kidding. The God of Mischief and Lies grinned brightly at his own cleverness, the corners of his eyes crinkling with humour.

Don't smile back, Darcy. Be strong. The corners of her mouth twitched. Dammit. Loki chuckled, his smile widening further.

"Get away, you ass," Darcy growled without heat. She pushed lightly at his smooth shirt, and he grabbed her hand and placed a quick kiss to the centre of her palm. A loud moan pushed its way out of her mouth at the resulting melting of her lady parts. Snatching her hand back, she cradled the tattooed skin to her chest. "No," she spat with a fierce frown. "You don't-"

The joy fell from the god's face and he leaned back on his heels, hands up in surrender. "Apologies, Lady Darcy. Would it help to know that I, also, have a matching mark upon my skin?"

"Oh, yeah?" She said suspiciously, looking at both his upraised hands. "Where?"

His grin was much more lecherous that time. "You'll find out soon enough, love."

She huffed in frustration, blowing a limp clump of hair from her face. Then she smiled, matching, she hoped, Loki's level of lecherousness. "And how would you react if I touched it?"

He blinked at her, as if not completely sure that he heard right. His mouth slowly curved and he leaned forward, lips brushing her ear, "Intensely."

Alright. Panties successfully melted.

Sitting back on the floor, long legs crossed like a school kid's, he regarded her seriously for a moment. "Lady Darcy," he began. "I realise that I have not gone about courting you in the traditional Midgardian manner, and may have been- challenging, in the way I approached you."

Darcy snorted. "Yeah, you may have been." She narrowed her eyes at him. "There are other ways to let a girl know you're interested than sending her erotic dreams."

To her absolute delight, Loki's ears turned pink. "That was a- a side-effect, I think you would call it, of the spell that I cast to find you."

She considered him carefully. "Can you control my thoughts?"

"What? No!" He sputtered. He was genuinely offended. "Why would you think that?"

"Ah, it's kinda your M.O., dude."

"Oh. Well, I'd never control your thoughts, Lady Darcy. And that includes even if I was able to bypass your protection spell."

"Wait, protection spell? MY protection spell? What spell? Did someone else spell me?" She was beginning to panic. "Just how much spelling is going on 'round here?"

Loki looked slightly guilty. "It's- complicated, love." Darcy opened her mouth to protest the general lack of information. "But," he held up a hand to forestall her, "rest assured, you will be granted a full explanation at noon."

"Why noon?"

Now the god looked incredibly uncomfortable. "Uh, Thor and his woman will be meeting us- you! Here. At noon."

"Oh," she replied. "Good? Yes, good. Yeah..." She trailed off awkwardly. What the hell do you say to a slightly-less-psychotic-than-originally-thought-god who was sitting on the floor in the room you just slept in? "So... Thor and Jane will be here. Um, does he know-"

Loki shook his head slightly. "No, he is unaware that I am here. And, alive."

"It's gonna be one hell of a family reunion, dude."

The god said nothing, just nodded slightly. Catching her eyes with his, he commented curiously, "You are not afraid of me, are you?"

Darcy shrugged awkwardly. "It's weird. I- " she paused for a moment, "I know I should be, you know, freakin terrified of you, but I'm not."

"Is there a particular reason?" He leaned forward slightly for her answer, hands resting on both his knees. She shrugged again and looked away briefly. A gut feeling? His weirdly trust-inducing smile? The fact that they had both dreamed of his head between her legs not two days ago? She felt herself heat up at the memory. Um, a reason, quick!

"I asked you not to kill me, and you didn't?"

He blinked. "That's it. That's the reason?"

"Well, uh- yeah?" He stared at her incredulously. "I'm still alive! Yay!" She cheered softly, waving her hand a little out of her blankets in celebration. "You don't realise how big a motivation that is for me."

"Obviously."

He was still staring at her like he didn't believe a word she said, but seemed to not want to call her out on it, and she became increasingly aware that she was still in her dress from last night, including her girls-enhancing bra and sexy panties. She didn't want to even think about what state her hair and leftover make up was in.

"Um, well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat, I, uh- need to do some things to- clean, and wash and- stuff."

"You wish to bathe," Loki interpreted smoothly, his eyes lighting up. "May I be of some assistance?"

"No, nup. I'm good. Thanks. For the offer." Maybe after the wedding, her mind supplied. Bad mind!

He unfolded himself from the floor with a small sigh. "More's the pity," he said, grinning.

"Yeah, well. Just because I know you're not gonna kill me, doesn't mean I trust you around my lady parts."

He made a disappointed sound. "Such a shame. The antics that could ensue-" Darcy pulled a face. "Fine," he sighed. He half-turned from her, then looked back over his shoulder. "I will be back at noon. You may not see me, but I will be there. Just so you are aware."

"O- okay. Sure. See you."

Loki winked and disappeared. Darcy released a breath she didn't realise she was holding. To be honest, she had absolutely no idea what was going on and no idea of how to react to it. At least she knew she wasn't going nuts. She pulled out her tattooed hand again and traced the fingers over the emerald Ingwaz. Huh. Nothing. Lucky her, Darcy's lips twisted into a wry grin, the undead zombie God of Lies has a direct line to her nether regions.

* * *

Tony paced across the fine woollen carpet of his sunken lounge room to the windows, then twisted and paced back to the bar on the opposite side, looked at his watch, then turned again. Pepper, sitting on the leather lounge, rolled her eyes at her other half. "Tony, please. Just- sit? Could you?"

The billionaire superhero grunted absently and stalked to the windows again. Pepper snorted softly. Obviously not listening. He stopped, stock still, a moment before Jarvis announced discretely, "Mr Odinson and Dr Foster to see you, Sir."

"Send them up," Tony replied, a touch too loud. Eyes wide, he turned on Pepper. "Help. Help. What the hell am I doing, Pep? I have just invited two fucking _gods_ to our home. And they don't exactly get on. Hell, _I_ don't even get on with them. Particularly the one that tried to level the city-"

Pepper stood quickly and laid a hand on his arm, "Tony. Tony, breathe. It's okay, you're doing the right thing, sweetheart." He looked only slightly mollified. "You are, okay?" She knew that Tony would try to confront Loki, but when her boyfriend told her about Thor's unexpected phone call, she was stumped. How could this even be possible? Darcy as a god? It was like one big practical joke.

Poor girl. She couldn't imagine what she was going through. She fell back onto the couch again.

The front door opened and the blonde god and the astrophysicist made their way in. From Thor's slightly slumped shoulders, it was clear that Jane hadn't quite forgiven him for the revelations of the previous night.

"Thor," Tony greeted tightly.

"Stark," Thor replied, his gaze still on Jane, who had moved across the room to sit next to Pepper. He raised his eyes to look around. "Where's Lady Darcy?"

"She's coming," Pepper spoke up.

"I'm here, Big Guy," came a tired voice from the corridor to the bedrooms. Thor smiled slightly at the nickname. "So, what's the story, Morning Glory?"

An awkward silence fell as Pepper looked at Tony, Tony looked at Thor, Thor looked at Jane, and Jane refused to look at anyone. "Wow," Darcy muttered. "That great, huh?"

Pepper stood and everyone's attention shifted to her sudden movement. "Darcy," she said, clasping her hands in front of her. "It's fairly obvious that- something is- is... up," she stuttered to a stop. So much for being the CEO of world leading Stark Industries. Can't even get a full sentence out. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers and started again. "It has been made aware to us that there is a reason you have been having trouble sleeping." Darcy raised an eyebrow.

"So you thought you'd get Thor around to knock me out for a few hours? Dude, just give me whatever you gave me last night and I'll be sweet." She cast slight dirty look in Tony's direction, who at least had the grace to look abashed.

"You needed that, don't deny it," Tony defended himself, pointing in her direction.

"But I didn't _want_ it, Stark," she snapped.

"Fine, but you-"

"Stop it, both of you," Jane interrupted. "Thor, it's your turn." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

Thor looked terrified. "Ah- yes. Yes. Lady Darcy." He cleared his throat. "I have not been upfront with you about- something." He took a deep breath and clasped his hands behind him. "When I first fell to Midgard, I was understandably- distracted and was not paying attention to all that was going on. But when I returned to Jane to stay, I noticed something that could not be explained away." He cast his eyes to the floor and said softly, "At first I thought it was my mother, the magic I felt. But when I could still feel it after- after she was gone, I realised it came from-" he stared at Darcy, "you."

"Me?" She squeaked. "What type of magic?" This was all too similar to what Loki kept saying the first night he invaded her apartment.

"Asgardian magic," he replied, just as softly. "You are from Asgard, Darcy. Somehow. But, instead of telling you, as I should have," he threw an apologetic glance at Jane, whose eyes had softened slightly at the mention of Frigga, "I tried to deal with it discretely, giving you a charmed rune to protect you as your Asgardian qualities began to emerge-"

"My necklace?" Darcy automatically touched the small gold pendant at her throat.

"Yes, and I hoped that eventually I'd get the chance to talk with you of what was happening, but I never found the time. I'm sorry," he finished quietly.

"So," Darcy began, hugging her arms to her body, "Hey, I'm Asgardian. Big whoop. That explains why my parents never could never tell me about my birth parents. 'So, sweetie, you were given to us by an immortal alien who buggered off without telling us what would happen when you grew up'." She snorted. "That would have gone down well. I was a tricky teenager as it was." Pulling her arms closer around her, she tried to warm the hollow feeling in her gut. "What will happen to me, Thor?"

Tony's heart broke at the vulnerability in Darcy's voice. Jane slid an arm around her friend. "Nothing too unbearable, Lady Darcy," Thor reassured her. "You will stop ageing, and find that you will become physically stronger and have more endurance than most Midgardians. Oh, and you may develop certain- abilities." He gave Darcy a small smile. "From what I can sense in you, I believe that you could become a wielder of magic, like my mother."

Darcy blinked as her eyes began to feel a bit moist. "Really?" She took a deep breath and squeezed Jane's hand. "What about the dreams?"

"Dreams?" Thor asked as Tony started. "What dreams?"

"Ah!" Tony stepped between them, arm outstretched. "In a completely unrelated, yet connected, issue-"

"Wait," Darcy demanded. "The dreams aren't normal?"

"They're not- completely unusual," Thor spoke over Tony's head. "What dreams have you been having?"

"Uh, um-" she articulated clearly. Maybe now wasn't the time to tell him about his dead brother's sex-dream kinks. "Um, they're not important, really. Never mind." She cursed herself under her breath. Loki said he'd be here, and Tony had warned her just earlier, but she hadn't seen him, so maybe...

Her tattoo tingled and her nostrils flared suddenly at the all-too-familiar aroma of Eau de God of Mischief. Oh shit. Shit. Shitty, shit, shit-

"The dreams are my doing, Thor," Loki's smooth voice filled the room. Everyone froze as Thor slowly turned to face his brother.

"Loki," he breathed. "Loki?" Then, "Loki," the God of Thunder growled. He shifted his stance and looked like he was about to charge at his adoptive brother. A flash of lighting lit up the suddenly dark room. Even dressed in a pair of jeans and a black Henley, Thor was an intimidating sight. Loki, for his part, didn't flinch, but remained where he was, still dressed in the black ensemble that he was wearing that morning in Darcy's room, only having added a black suit jacket, arms behind his back.

"You-" Thor spat, "You were DEAD. I MOURNED you, brother! I cannot believe that AGAIN you have deceived me-" his voice was raising itself to a magnificent bellow. "After ALL we have gone through, you LEFT me to mourn mother ALONE, and for what?"

That got a reaction out of the dark god. " _Alone_? Ha! You have no concept of _alone_ , dear favoured Son of Odin." Loki's hands were clenched by his side, glowing ominously, even as the storm outside began to rattle the windows. "You have never been truly _alone_ , as I have," he sneered. The two gods began to pace around each other, completely ignoring their flabbergasted audience.

"And so we begin again on the Woes of Loki, Outcast of Asgard." Thor threw his hands up in the air dramatically. Whipping around back to the other god, he snarled, "Had you a care for me at all, you would have given me some SIGN, some MESSAGE that you were still alive-"

"To give you the opportunity to come charging to find me, with all the grace and subtlety of a bilgesnipe in heat? Oh, yes, Thor, THAT is what I should have done-"

The other four occupants of the room were backing away from the confrontation. A sudden, inexplicable wind slapped against their bodies. "Fuck," Tony swore. "That's it, I'm suiting up." He grabbed Pepper's hand and dragged her away, intent on securing her and the two other women in his Panic Room.

"I am so WEARY of this trickery, brother! My forgiveness is nearing an end-"

Loki laughed without humour. "Forgiveness?" He spat. "Well, _forgive me_ for using my brief freedom to escape a prison the All Father would have NEVER let me leave. _Forgive me_ for using the opportunity afforded to me to leave you INNOCENT of all knowledge of my escape-"

Jane stopped and gasped softly. Darcy turned to her sharply, "What? What is it?"

"I knew it," she whispered. "The way he was acting-" The astrophysicist grabbed Darcy's arm. "He saved my life, Darce. Twice. Of course he'd want to protect Thor-"

In the time it took Jane to explain, Thor's rage had dissipated, leaving the sky outside clear again. The former brothers continued to stare at each other, panting heavily.

Thor's blue eyes were wide with surprise. "Brother-"

The other god shook his head sharply. "No. Not your brother."

Thor's eyes filled with hope. "But you did all that, to protect me?" He stepped closer to Loki, who looked suddenly wary. "Loki-"

"Sentiment," the word slipped from his mouth, his normally smooth voice breaking over the syllables. His green eyes desperately searched the room, meeting Darcy's bright blue ones, which were even wider than usual over the hand resting on her mouth in disbelief. He looked as if someone had just found his diary and started reading it in front of the whole class. Unbelievably, Darcy felt a bit sorry for the god that had Screwed Up Her Life: Bonus Edition.

"Loki," she interrupted loudly. "Perhaps you should explain why you're here?" Loki almost sagged with relief.

"Of course, love," he replied immediately, moving out of range of what looked to be a Thor-Hug-Extreme, and crossing the room to Darcy.

"Love?" Came the startled exclamation from three out of the four witnesses. Tony, of course, had been blessed with hearing the god call Darcy that several times the previous night.

The newly-discovered Aesir felt her heart speed up as Loki walked over to her. The fear was instinctive. _Run!_ Her mind screamed. But, the lust was beginning to overpower the fear. _Drool!_ Her body demanded. Jane and Pepper moved away from Darcy quickly, not wanting to impede the god's progress, but Tony was still extremely leery of having Loki so close to the brunette, and he stepped in front of him, touching a hand to his chest to halt his progress.

"Tony!" Darcy desperately whispered.

He ignored her. "Stop right there, lover-boy. Explanations can take place several paces away from Ms Lewis."

Loki glanced down at the hand that rested on his chest. He raised his gaze and gave Tony a malicious smile. "If you have any further use for that hand, I suggest you remove it."

Tony quickly plucked his fingers from the dark god's chest and played it cool. "Just an idea, Lokes."

Loki stared at him balefully. "Do not call me Lokes."

"It's okay, Tony," Darcy sighed. "Let him past." She muttered in annoyance under her breath about 'too much freakin testosterone in this freakin room'.

"Am I missing something?" Called a bewildered Thor from the other end of the room. Tony side-stepped Loki, who followed his movement with an unimpressed eyebrow-raise, and approached the big guy.

"Yes, my dear Point Break, you are. You see, when Mister Lonely Hearts over there," he waved in Loki's general direction, "felt all cold and rejected after his fake-death, he decided to get himself a girlfriend, and put out a magical wanted ad for a gorgeous, available goddess," waving at Darcy, who let out a snort, "who answered in the form of dreams. Interesting dreams." Tony over-emphasised the last two words with a salacious wink and turned back to the couple with a nonchalant arm cross.

Loki, in the meantime, had slowly approached Darcy. She looked at him guardedly, and started a little when he stretched out the long fingers of his right hand. Okay. It helps knowing he doesn't want to hurt her. Purposely. She cautiously reached out with her left and her fingers slid into his cool hand, completely covered by the elegant digits. They let out simultaneous sighs of- ease? Their gazes snapped to each other. Darcy felt herself turn red, the itching feeling prickling up the back of her neck. He looked a little flustered himself. They both turned away, but, for the life of her, Darcy couldn't let go of his hand, now that it was clasped in hers.

Jane's mouth had dropped open and Thor took a few shuffling steps to join her. "What," Thor said eloquently. The burning of her face was getting markedly worse, and she felt Loki's fingers tighten around hers.

Loki cleared his throat. "Do you remember, Thor, that once I told you that magic could do much more than just help us sneak past Odin's guards when we spent too much time at a tavern in town?"

Thor's eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion, still stuck on the fact that his dead brother was gently hold the hand of his now near-immortal friend. "Yes," he answered, still slightly dumbstruck.

"I set a spell to find a bond-mate," Loki muttered quickly.

Thor blinked. "You really _were_ lonely?"

The other man's face screwed up in derision. "No!" He threw a nasty glare at Tony, who was chortling none-to-subtly. "I had my reasons, Thor. And no," he rolled his eyes as Thor opened his mouth, "I am not telling you." He looked down at his shiny dress shoes. "I will tell Lady Darcy first. In private."

"Aww," Tony crooned. "That's sweet. Especially as there is no way in hell that you will ever be 'in private' with Lady Darcy."

Loki's glare increased sixteen fold. Uh, oh. Darcy waved her free hand frantically, making desperate sounds as she attempted to stop the two egomaniacs from killing each other. Two sets of eyes focused on the emerald tattoo, which was suddenly obvious. Jane stared curiously at the mark, but Thor's mouth dropped open again, then he closed it with a snap. He shifted a suspicious look to his former brother as he snatched Darcy's hand out of the air.

Leaning close, he reached out a large finger to stroke the tattoo before Darcy could stop him. She burst out with a garbled, "No!" And tried to pull her hand back. It was like tugging on a semi-trailer. With a feather. Thor's finger swept from one point of the Ingwaz tattoo to the other and she felt- nothing. Nothing at all. Letting out a shaky breath she looked over to the cause of all her current problems. Loki's jaw had tightened, making his sharp cheekbones stand out even more.

"A bond-mate, you say?" Thor's voice lowered dangerously. Somehow it was even scarier than bellowing-Thor. "Bonding with an Aesir? When you are not even-"

"Stop!" Loki commanded, finger pointing at the blond god. "It is not what it looks like."

"You aren't his real brother," Tony realised, eyes widening.

Loki's eyes also widened. "You _told_ them?"

"Of course he _told_ us, Rock of Ages," Tony snorted. "You were invading Earth, may I politely remind you."

"Told them what?" Darcy piped up. Sure, Loki was adopted, big deal, so was she.

Loki opened his mouth to answer, but Tony was too quick. The billionaire pointed at Thor. "He's Aesir." He turned to Loki. "He's not." The dark god snapped his mouth closed with a look of suppressed fear and fury. "Your intergalactic boyfriend is-" Tony suddenly found himself without the ability to speak. After flailing silently for several moments, he turned to Loki with narrowed eyes. The god looked pleased, as if he were mentally congratulating himself on being so clever. He received a one fingered salute from the billionaire in return.

"Loki," Thor growled warningly. Darcy felt Loki's cool hand squeeze hers tightly.

"Don't say it, Thor. Or you, Stark," he demanded with a touch of desperation.

"This is foolishness, brother-"

"No, it is FINE-"

"It is NOT fine!"

Darcy pulled her hand out of the ever-increasing grip of the god next to her and bellowed, "GUYS!" All three pairs of eyes turned to look down at her. She felt very short. Girding her loins, she took a deep breath and said calmly, "Could someone please tell me what the fuck is going on."

There seemed to be a silent battle going on. Well, silent not for lack of Tony trying to speak. The billionaire crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the God of Mischief. In reply, Loki crossed his own and raised an eyebrow. Thor suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Darcy growled. "Jane?"

"Yes, Darcy?"

"Could you please answer my question?"

"Why yes, I could." Jane's lips twitched, trying to hold back a smirk at the Idiocy of Menfolk. "Loki is Jotun." The god tensed considerably, dropping his arms by his side and curling his fingers into fists.

"Yo-tunne?" Darcy's tongue tripped over the unfamiliar word. "Like Tauntaun?" That earned blank looks from everyone except Tony, who grinned widely. "Dudes. Star Wars. Come on."

"Same sort of climate, sweetheart," Tony said smoothly, apparently able to speak again.

"Lady Darcy," Loki interrupted. It looked like he couldn't decide whether he wanted to kill Jane or run away from her. "Let me assure you that my- condition will have no negative repercussions on our relationship-"

"No? _Negative_?" Tony burst out. "You're a freakin Frost Giant!"

Loki lost it. "Silence!" He roared. Thor started toward him with what would have been a shout of his own, but nothing came out. Jane tried to speak, but ended up flapping her arms in frustration. Pepper just rolled her eyes and walked away from the group, shaking her head. Tony mouthed something rude at Loki.

"Loki," Darcy said quietly. His blazing green eyes snapped to her, and she fought hard not to step back. The volatility of the situation had increased somewhat, but she was still fairly sure he wouldn't hurt her. Fairly sure. She fished her hand into her hoodie pocket and pulled out her cell phone. He was watching her curiously, eyes still slightly wild, with a stillness that should have unnerved her a lot more than it did. She fiddled with the phone for a bit. "I want to talk to you about this," she looked him in the eye, "just you." Tony began waving an admonishing finger at her. "Just. Loki. Stark." She gritted out. Loki even couldn't smile at her command to the billionaire, his insides were coiled like a thousand hissing snakes. She turned the phone over to him with a small smile. "I'll call you, 'k?"

Loki slowly took the phone from the brunette, deliberately brushing his fingers against hers. He chuckled suddenly in amazement at the audacity of the woman and grinned down at her. "I await with baited breath."

Then he was gone.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

"You have got to be kidding me," Darcy groaned as she stared down at the sheet of paper in her hands. Pepper's lips tightened along with the hands on her hips, placed there after giving Darcy the incriminating sheet. The phones were going nuts.

"As much as I wish it were so, Darce," the other woman grimaced. "The shit's hit the fan now."

In her hands Darcy held one of the apparently many articles that had appeared online and in print newspapers that morning that had Creepy McCreepface Daniel Taylor-Greene accusing Stark Industries of harbouring alien technology to make advanced weaponry to sell to the highest bidder.

So what if Stark Industries actually _did_ have alien technology? They weren't going to use it for weapons, let alone sell them. Tony didn't do that anymore.

And still beside the point! Creepy had agreed to drop all this shit for access to said alien technology!

"Okay," Darcy took a deep breath, then turned to a thirty-something blonde guy, one of the assistants in the Communications and Media office. "Darryl, I need you to get onto Stewart in the legal team. We're going to have to prepare a statement for the media." She looked over the room. "Tracy, get me Carmel from the Times or Angus from the Post. We need to find out who first broke the story."

Pepper was nodding in agreement. "Good, I'll liaise with the legal team. We'll have a statement ready by ten. Get me the usual majors, CNN, CBC, ABC." She began marching out the door. "Anything significant, contact me." She waved her cell in the air and flew out the door.

Darcy rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the sudden pain that had cropped up behind her eyes. A fantastic start to the week after a bitch of a weekend. After Loki had left with her cellphone, Tony Stark's living area had exploded with angry accusations, claims of disbelief and loud warnings for Darcy. It had made her wish that Loki had left his handy silence spell on the lot of them.

Thor was pleading at the ceiling for Loki to come back, punctuated by the sun disappearing again behind thick clouds. Tony stormed over to Darcy, mouth pulled into a stubborn line.

"Have you taken leave of your senses?" He hissed at her. "'I'll call you'?!"

"Can it, Stark," she snarled back. "As if I have a precedent for this shit. The guy is not gonna-"

"The GOD, Darcy. The fucking psychotic GOD." His voice rose with each word. "He is not some puppy you can teach to roll over and play fetch. He will get inside your head and tear it apart from the inside."

"And so you INVITED him into your home? He is DIFFERENT now, I know you can feel it-"

"Oh, no. Don't start that. I don't want you within spitting distance of the psycho-"

"You are NOT my father. You DO NOT get to tell me what to do!"

Tony leaned into Darcy, both of them flushed with anger, and sneered, "I thought you were smarter than this, sweetheart. Being turned by a pretty face."

The slap delivered across his mouth was louder than anything else in the room. Darcy couldn't believe it. She hit her friend. Actually, fully, hit him. Sure, he was being an asshole, but, is this what she was turning into? At this point in her life? And she was apparently going to be living a hell of a lot longer than expected, too. She could feel the tears pricking her eyes. Tony was holding a hand against his face, eyes wide with shock. All her friends were just _looking_ at her. No. No, no, no! She couldn't deal with it. Not now. With a small cry, she ran for the front door, leaving it open in her haste to get away.

Tony, recovering, said, "Jarvis. Hold the lifts." He made to follow her, but was stopped by Pepper's hand on his arm.

"Let her go, Tony," she said, eyes worried but determined. "She needs a bit of time."

Jane was chewing her lip in her distress, and Thor tentatively approached her and brushed a large hand over her back. "I am sorry, Jane," he murmured. "My actions have made this situation worse."

She shook her head in denial. "No. No, Thor. This- this would have been messy however it was approached. But with- with Loki involved-" she looked up at him with realisation dawning in her wide brown eyes. "You brother is _alive_ , Thor. He's here, _alive_! And Tony," she said, snapping her head to the billionaire, "he _is_ different. He saved my life when he could have so easily let me die. I don't think this is the same man who invaded Earth."

Tony crossed his arms and set a stubborn tilt to his chin. "Yeah? Well, I trust him about as far as I can throw him." His eyes blazed. "And I really don't like what he's doing to Darcy."

"Loki has never done anything without reason, Stark," Thor added. He cursed to himself. "I need to talk to him! I don't understand how he has hidden himself, and his purpose with finding a bond-mate? He must have a plan."

"Oh, I'm sure," Tony interjected sarcastically.

Pepper, silent until now, could not hold back. "Tony, stop it! You gave him the benefit of the doubt last night, please do so now. Loki has clearly been around for a few days at least and he hasn't hurt anybody."

"Yet," bit out Tony.

"Yet," Pepper conceded with a glare.

Darcy returned a few hours later with sore feet and an aching head. Dinner was a subdued affair between the five of them as Jane refused to leave Darcy and with Thor hopeful of Loki returning to the penthouse. Darcy quickly packed her stuff after the meal and was halfway out the door before Pepper tried to convince her to stay one more night. Darcy sadly looked over at Tony, who was pointedly ignoring the two women, standing looking out of the floor to ceiling windows on the other side of the room. "I don't think I'm entirely welcome here, Pep. No, no. It's okay," she reassured the other woman, who began to protest. She gave her a rueful smile. "We'll sort it, no worries. I'll see you Monday, 'k?"

After a slightly awkward phone conversation with her mom about her adoption (Closed, Records Sealed, No questions asked, why are you asking, sweetheart?) she had slept for a total of about three and a half hours over both nights before the Dreams started. She was almost relieved to get back to work on Monday.

But walking into the office at 8.18am that morning made her regret her decision to ever leave her apartment again. When Stewart from the Stark legal team swept into the Communications offices with Pepper, minutes before the statement to the media was to be made in one of the lower level conference rooms of the Tower, he informed Darcy quietly that Greene Software had pulled out of their settlement and was now pursuing legal action on unethical technology acquisition, or some such crap.

"Well, that's just fine and dandy!" Darcy cried, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Is there an actual REASON why he's decided to pull the plug on his very generous settlement?"

"Not as such, no," Stewart replied, shaking his head.

"Darcy," Pepper called over from the other side of the room. "You're coming with us for the statement." Not a question. Darn. She looked down at her outfit. Meh, it'll do.

The vultures had gathered in the high ceilinged room, a gleeful murmur hovering over the cameras and microphones as they waited for Pepper's appearance.

"Please refrain from calling them vultures, Darce," Pepper said blandly, trying to hide a twitch in her mouth.

"Dude, you can't tell me that they don't remind you of those nasty looking birds of prey. If we threw you out there, they would literally fall on you for your 'comments on the situation'." She huffed. "And they wear far too much black."

The older woman allowed herself a chuckle, extraordinarily pleased that Darcy seemed to be returning to her usual self. "Okay, let's go people," she announced to the room at large.

The media circus was actually going smoothly, with reasonable questions being asked and Pepper replying in a way that left no doubt why she was running Stark Industries. Darcy held her poker face, all the while wanting to smirk at the awesomeness of her boss.

A young dark haired woman held up her hand and was motioned to ask her question. "Wendy Chalmers, Daily News. You have denied unethical practices in Stark Industries, but is there any truth in Daniel Greene-Taylor's accusations of the use of alien technology? It is a known fact that Tony Stark is a member of the Avengers Initiative with the alien Thor."

"First of all, yes. Tony Stark is good friends with Thor Odinson. Almost dying together will bring out the most unlikely of friendships," Pepper gave a small smile at the scattering laughter, "but most of the technology we work with is of human origin. Doctor Jane Foster, whose work with the Einstein-Rosen theory has revolutionised the way we look at the universe, works closely with Stark Industries-"

A loud, slow clapping cut through the brief silence of the room. An unsettled murmur washed over the media. Darcy half stepped forward, searching the crowd for the source.

"Oh, well done, Ms Potts," came a derisive voice that echoed as loudly as the clapping. "Well. Done. All the right words to protect all the wrong people."

Darcy finally found the owner of the voice, and her mouth dropped open. He couldn't. He wouldn't.

"Mister Greene-Taylor," Pepper greeted with a lot more poise than Darcy's current fish imitation. "We weren't expecting you here."

Daniel Greene-Taylor ambled his way from the back of the room towards the podium the two women were standing on, the media parting for him like the Red Sea. Usually at this point, everyone would be shouting questions at everyone, demanding an answer.

But the room remained silent.

Darcy shivered, maybe it was the malice the Greene CEO was exuding. The creepiness factor of the man had just ramped up past eleven, and it seemed even beyond that now. She had never seen that look in someone's eyes before.

Pepper had. Obadiah Stane, the former second-in-command of Stark Industries, deceased after trying to kill Tony several years back, wore the same expression.

Hungry.

Resentful.

Mad.

"Security," Pepper's voice was firm but quiet as she stepped back from the podium.

Daniel stopped, a wounded expression on his face. "Ms Potts. That hurts, truly. I only wish to sort out the truth from the lies."

"There is a time and a place for that, Mr Greene-Taylor. This is neither."

His dark eyes stopped on Darcy. She sucked in a breath subconsciously. He was just ignoring the half-dozen security guards that had appeared in front of the podium. "How's the hand, Ms Lewis?"

Darcy held her un-bandaged right hand to her chest, over her rapidly beating heart. "Better. Thanks," she croaked.

He smiled toothily, the action not reaching his eyes. "Good," he cooed. He turned back to Pepper. "Another time, perhaps."

With a small, mocking salute, he left the room.

* * *

"Where are they?" Tony Stark's demand echoed off the walls outside Pepper's office where the two women were- sort of, but not really, hiding after their encounter with Daniel Greene-Taylor, or Creepazoid Plus, as Darcy had decided described him better.

"Pepper!" The billionaire burst into the large airy office, looking slightly ruffled. An achievement for the man, who normally never had a facial hair out of place. He snatched up his girlfriend and crushed her to him. Pepper made some muffled protests into his tailored jacket before he released her and slanted his mouth over hers. Darcy, by no means innocent, had to blush and turn away at the show.

After a thorough snog, Tony cupped his hands around her face and whispered furiously, "I will damage him, gorgeous, for what he did."

"It's fine, sweetheart, really. He didn't hurt us," Pepper whispered back.

Tony's head snapped up and zeroed in on Darcy. "And you! Come 'ere!"

"What? Wait!" Darcy held up her hands to ward him off, but he couldn't be stopped and he scooped her off her feet in a bear hug. "Don't kiss me!" She wailed in desperation.

Her feet were still dangling off the ground and her arms trapped by her sides when Tony mumbled, "You gotta stop doing this to me, Boop."

"I didn't mean to," she wheezed through crushed lungs. Her feet were just lowered to the ground when she suddenly found herself on the other side of the office, blinking rapidly.

"Hey!" Tony roared, "Give her back!"

"No," came the snide reply. "You keep touching her. I dislike it."

"Whoa. Trippy," Darcy added, sitting heavily on the cream leather couch. Loki immediately dropped down next to her and slung a long arm across the back of the seat, throwing Tony a smug look. The billionaire muttered something uncomplimentary and pulled Pepper into his side, a protective gleam in his eye.

"I apologise for the sensation, love. It takes some adjusting-"

"I think I'm gonna throw up."

Pepper rushed forward with the intention of helping of helping her to the bathroom, but Loki calmly conjured a stainless steel bowl in Darcy's lap. Rubbing her back gently, he threw another triumphant look at Tony.

Tony pulled a face. "I think _I'm_ going to throw up."

Needless to say, the nausea passed, and Darcy became increasingly aware of the cool hand rubbing between her shoulder blades. And lower. "Okay!" Darcy announced squeakily, leaping off the couch. "Hey, look at that! Better now!"

Loki followed her up, reaching for her again. She thrust the bowl into his hand. "There ya go! Thanks, dude."

"Dude. You call me that quite often."

Darcy chuckled nervously, glancing at Tony, who was wearing his patented This-God-Is-Really-Pissing-Me-Off expression, and Pepper, grimly holding the billionaire back. She peered up briefly into his curious green eyes and shied away a little.

"Dude. A friend of platonic standing. A buddy, chum. Or mate, in the Australian," she rattled off, finishing with a squeak. Geez Louise, that was some stare time he was putting in.

"There is nothing platonic in the way I stand with you, love," Loki purred.

And there we go.

Tony looked as if his head were about to explode. "Get the FUCK out of my building-"

"Shut up!" Burst out Pepper. Three sets of astonished eyes turned to her. "Good GODS, can you men stop acting like children?!" She whirled on Loki, who was looking somewhat intimidated. "You! Were you following Darcy today?"

A pink flush spread across his mighty fine cheekbones as he tried to formulate an answer. Darcy began to chortle, "Oh, dude. You stalking me?"

"No!" He snapped. Pepper crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" He corrected himself hesitantly, shifting closer to Darcy.

"I'm sure you're aware of what went on this morning?" Pepper continued in her we-are-not-amused voice.

Loki stared at her expressionlessly for a moment, then answered, "I am."

"Are you able to protect her?"

"What!" Tony was incredulous. "Him?!"

Loki turned on him with a snarl. "Yes, me, you irritating horse fly. I will protect my Darcy as you appear to be incapable of even protecting the pretentious steel trap you call a home-"

Tony pointed a finger at the god and growled back, "I told you I take issue with you calling her yours."

"And I recall asking whether you value your hand."

Darcy and Pepper shared an exasperated look and simultaneously huffed out irritated breaths. This was getting them nowhere. Darcy interrupted the stare contest by gently touching a hand to Loki's leather covered chest. Time to test out these 'feminine wiles' everyone keeps talking about.

"Loki, babe," her voice dropped into a husky whisper. Ugh, sounded like she had a bit of a sore throat. Or a lot of phlegm. Gross.

Despite the less-than-sexy voice, the god froze at the touch of her hand. She could feel his pectoral muscles suddenly bunch beneath her fingers, and she slid her hand across his chest and down the length of his arm to brush fingers against the back of his cool hand. Oh man, he smells so _good_. She took a deep breath through her nose and involuntarily took a step closer, her breasts lightly brushing his arm. She could hear a deep rumble, barely noticeable at first. She was _way_ too distracted with the way his skin felt beneath her fingertips. By the time she noticed that the rumble had turned into a growl, originating from a very tense God of Lies, whose ice green eyes had blown out so that they were almost entirely black, it was far, far too late.

Loki had been around for a while, right?

Darcy believed she found the origin of the phrase, 'To unleash the beast.'

Uh, oh.

Loki turned to her with painful slowness, his intense gaze never leaving hers. Darcy's fight or flight response kicked in, and she stumbled back. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, not a sound emerging. She realised that the burning in her lungs was most likely due to the fact that she hadn't taken a breath for a good long while. She took a deep breath.

His gaze snapped to her chest.

With Loki no longer holding her eyes captive, she twisted her head to find Pepper and Tony. 

"Help?"

That was the last sound she made before Loki lunged, and they both disappeared from Pepper's office.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it's been a while, it's time to refresh yourself with Chapter One again. Just the first chapter. Yes! We're nearly there! 
> 
> Oh, and angst. Just a bit. Sorry.

Darcy fell onto her hands and knees into the lush carpeting of- somewhere. The bile rose in her throat, and she desperately tried to swallow it down. Taking shallow, panicky breaths, she raised her head to try to find out where she was.

Loki was still burning a hole into her with his hunger-filled eyes.

And stripping.

Wait, what?

A second gold forearm brace dropped to the floor and rolled onto her hand, which was still clutching the carpet. Darcy stared in disbelief as she looked from the floor, to the god, now currently divesting himself of his long leather surcoat-thing. That also fell to the floor with a healthy whump.

"Wait," she gasped. "Just- hold up."

Long fingers pulled at the side of his leather and fabric tunic and the material loosened. Darcy was making an enormous effort to catch her breath, but as Loki parted his tunic, she lost it again. Eyes wide open in shock, she could only gape at the shirtless God of Mischief and Lies, who was now standing stock still, only a few feet away.

The heat that rushed through her now had nothing to do with nausea.

He. Was. Gorgeous.

She fell back on her ass as she took in the long lines of his pale, muscular body. Everything was sculpted to perfection. Darcy was suddenly reminded of watching the men's Olympic swimming events when she was a teenager (Oh, okay. If she was being honest with herself, maybe even the most recent ones too) for a glimpse of physiques similar to, but nowhere near as delicious as Loki's.

Facing her fully, clothing scattered on the ground by his feet, the god looked down at her, his chest rising and falling harshly.

Okay, so it looked like those feminine wiles worked a little too well.

At least he and Tony stopped fighting.

Yay.

Loki seemed to be happy enough to keep his distance, allowing her to take her fill of the smooth, muscled expanse of his shoulders and chest, and- Wait. Darcy climbed somewhat shakily to her feet. Staring at his chest, she raised her eyes to his.

"Is that-?"

Loki gave her a wry smile. "Yes. You asked me where my bond-mark was-" he waved a hand at his torso with a 'feast your eyes' flourish, "here it is."

She took a hesitant step forward and lifted a hand towards the Ingwaz tattoo etched permanently over his heart. As she came closer, she suddenly became aware that the temperature in the room - where were they, anyway? - had dropped dramatically, and that Loki had stopped breathing, watching her hand come closer like a hawk.

She stopped short of touching the mark. "Is this why you wigged out? Because I touched it?"

He seemed to become even more tense, clasping his hands behind his back in an effort not to touch her. "Yes. I 'wigged out'. Even through my clothing, I could-" He let out a garbled moan as Darcy, unable to restrain herself any longer, touched one corner of the tattoo with a fingertip. His eyes rolled and his head fell back on his long neck, exposing his pale throat. For the first time in this weird-ass relationship of theirs, Darcy felt like she was in charge. She reached forward to stroke the mark again, when his hand snatched hers by the wrist.

"Please," he pleaded, panting, "No more."

Darcy smirked. She couldn't help it. "And our lesson for the day: Don't go touching each other's tattoos. At least in public." She winked at him. Oh, Darce. You stupid little- Why are you flirting with him? Hoping to cover the little gaff, she cleared her throat and asked, "So, it seems to affect you more-?"

He nodded, and the room warmed up a little. "It was the risk I took as the spell-caster."

She looked around the room, it seemed to be some sort of luxury hotel room, anonymous and clean, and sat down on a chair by a small dining table. "Can I ask," she began, "why you set the spell?"

The dark haired god helped himself to the other seat, still gloriously topless. She was distracted for a moment before she blinked and tried to regain her chain of thought. "I mean- you've been unattached, I suppose, for how long-"

She paused. "You- are unattached, aren't you?" Holy crap, Darcy's mind flicked back to the Norse Mythology book she read out of curiosity after Thor had visited the first time. According to the myths, Loki was not only married, but had fathered (and mothered) several interesting monsters on other goddesses. Despite his prettiness and the absolute absurdity of the whole situation, she didn't want to be the latest in a line of women to a guy she was apparently stuck with for some time to come.

"Yes, there is no one else," Loki leaned toward her, seeing the uncertainty play behind her expressive blue eyes and instinctively needing to reassure her.

"Oh- good," she cleared her throat, blushing slightly. "Uh, so, yeah. Why now?"

He looked away and swallowed. "Loki?"

He hummed deeply and slanted his gaze quickly at her before turning away again. "I need to secure my legacy."

She blinked. "What?"

He sighed and fell back into his chair. "I find myself in possession of a throne, and with no means to secure it. I need an heir."

Darcy could feel her stomach tightening with anger. Gritting her teeth, she ground out, "You're telling me that all this. All. This. Is because you need a kid?"

Loki eyed her warily. "In part?" He said, unsure.

She stood suddenly from the table. "You have got to be FUCKING kidding me!" She barked. "So my role in this whole fucking drama is to provide you with BABIES?"

Loki leaped smoothly from his own chair and leaned forward over the table, palms flat on the rich wooden surface. "No!" He bellowed back. "It was _never_ only-"

"Only? Only?! So, now that you know me, I'm suddenly just more than a baby-maker? Is that it?"

"Yes!" He pleaded. "I didn't realise what seeing you would do to me, Darcy. I feel-" he seemed to struggle with his words. "You can feel it-"

"Feel _what_ , Mister God of Lies?" She hissed. She felt humiliated. To find out that you're some sort of goddess, tied to a god who just wants you for your womb, all within the space of a week. It wasn't fair. She crossed her arms, trying to keep all her emotions tight within her chest. "Take it back."

Loki froze. "What."

"Take it back," she choked over the oncoming tears. "The spell."

His eyes grew cold. "No."

"Take it back!" She wailed, tears finally spilling over. He continued to stand there, his face a mask of indifference. "You have no right!" Still, with the standing and the not moving. Dashing her tears away with the back of her hands, she marched up to him. "Take. It. Back," she grated out.

He finally acknowledged her with a sneer. "No."

She looked up at him, gasping quiet sobs back. Then she slapped him. The force of the strike turned his head slightly to the side, but Darcy sobbed out loud again when her tattoo came in contact with his skin and her body flared with arousal. This is becoming ridiculous, she thought vaguely as she dropped to the floor by his feet, clutching her hand to her chest and crying softly. She's never been this violent before. Tasering angry Thors aside, she only ever wanted to be able to defend herself.

How could she possibly protect herself from this? Her own _body_ betrays her.

There was a rustle of leather as Loki, fully dressed again, touched her carefully on the shoulders. She tried to shrug him off. It didn't work.

"Don't touch me," she rasped. He said nothing, but continued to gather her into his arms, lifting her bridal style as he stood. She struggled and thumped him on the right side of his chest, carefully avoiding the mark over his heart. "Let me go."

They disappeared from the room to end up back in Pepper's office. Darcy didn't even feel the nausea from the fast-as-light trip. Loki placed her gingerly back on the sofa and stood back.

He bowed to her, and left, as Pepper rushed back in.

"Oh, sweetheart!" The other woman gasped as she saw Darcy's tears. "What did he do? Did he hurt you?" She rushed over and embraced Darcy, who happily sobbed into her designer dress. "What did he do?" She asked again, hardness lacing her question as she repeated it. Pepper was silently berating herself, thinking that the dark god was actually going to look after Darcy. Her instincts hadn't been so off before, she was sure that he cared for the younger woman, despite who he was and the circumstances that brought them together.

Darcy could sense the conclusions Pepper was coming to, and hastily sought to reassure her. "He didn't hurt me. Physically, at least," she said softly. A lump rose in her throat again. "He won't take it back," she whispered painfully. Unable to explain further, she buried her face into Pepper's ruined dress again.

Not knowing what Darcy meant with that last remark, Pepper tightened her arms around the brunette regardless. She'd find out soon enough.

* * *

This was the worst week ever, Darcy concluded, sighing in frustration as she turned away from the large screen television mounted in the Communications office. She left the rest of the staff gaping at the very heated on-screen debate going on between Tony Stark and Daniel Greene-Taylor, and returned to her desk.

She snatched up her phone and replied briefly to a text sent from Jane, pleading with her to catch up, with the words, 'Not today, dude.' Staring at the time, she concluded that it was indeed not too early to go to lunch. In truth, she had no appetite. But she needed to get out of the building for a bit.

The organised chaos of the Communications office had grown increasingly stifling over the week, as the drama unfolded between the two CEOs of Stark Industries and Greene Software. It was like one of those weigh-ins before a huge boxing match, with both the men trying to stare each other down, and when that didn't work, to think up the best insults. Tony was clearly in the lead with his reveal of Greene Software's plummeting shares, but Daniel had sucker-punched him with insinuating to the media that Pepper was mere eye-candy, and that Stark only wanted to surround himself with gorgeous, but clueless, women in his upper management, Darcy included.

She didn't know whether to be insulted or complimented by that.

What she didn't want to deal with is the fallout from Loki's big reveal earlier that week. Every time she saw that damn tattoo on her hand, she felt mortified. Then furious. Then so. Fucking. Tired.

She didn't sleep anymore. It was too much. She just kinda- catnapped. Everywhere. Thank goodness she didn't drive. She'd be liable to kill everyone on the road. Pepper had tried to pin her down, as well as Jane, but Darcy refused to see them more than necessary.

At least the Deity-In-Question hadn't turned up since he returned her, sobbing, to Pepper's office. Darcy ignored the twinge in her gut that wished he tried a little harder to convince her she wasn't his baby-making-machine.

But maybe she just was.

And that just made her feel _worse_. So, lunch. Food makes everything better. Darcy slumped off across the Stark Industries' foyer.

* * *

Doctor Jane Foster had never considered herself a schemer. Oh, she was spontaneous, reckless and somewhat singleminded when it came to her work, but plotting, scheming and other nefarious doings she usually left to the minds of the Tony Starks of the world.

But here she was, scheming. Well, attempting to anyway. The sudden reappearance of Loki into their lives had certainly made life interesting. Tony was alternating between calculating silence and outright 'let fucking SHIELD deal with the leather fetish mind controlling bastard', Thor had been flying who-knows-where trying to find where his brother was holed up - as discretely as possible for the God of Thunder, Darcy had completely withdrawn after the incident Jane heard about on Monday, and Loki, well, Loki wasn't answering his phone.

Jane and Pepper were discussing the whole situation over a few glasses of wine about halfway through the week, when something Pepper said clicked.

"So, hang on," Jane interrupted, "Loki turned up as soon as Tony hugged Darcy?"

The other woman nodded as she took another sip of her lovely Pinot Noir. "I thought it was because he actually _felt_ something for Darcy," she said, pulling a face. "I don't know. Maybe it was more of a 'don't play with my toys' type thing."

"Don't write him off just yet," Jane replied, an idea forming. "We may still be able to get him to prove he's not the villain he was." She leaned forward. "So, tell me, Pep. Is there anyway to turn off the CCTV cameras in the Stark foyer?"

The expected text came from Pepper seconds after Darcy blew off seeing her again. Jane was armed.

With Thor.

Unorthodox, but he was who this situation called for. And besides, she thought, sizing up the gorgeous blonde god next to her, who needs backup when you have- ooo! There's Darcy!

Thor turned to her with a bright grin that lit up his clear blue eyes and bowed over her hand, pressing his lips gently to her knuckles. Jane melted a little, because, really, who wouldn't? His lips then brushed her ear as he murmured, "Thank you, my Jane."

"I hope it works," she whispered back, hope making her dark eyes sparkle. Thor then turned to Darcy, who had just noticed them - gosh, she looks so _tired_ \- and loped over. And kissed her.

Ha! Now _that_ should get Loki's attention. Wait- was he using tongue? Good grief. Jane rolled her eyes.

Not two seconds later the building shook as the dark god himself appeared. Finally, he can be talked to!

Two minutes after that, Jane was reassessing her choices as a Career Schemer.

"I didn't know he would just _disappear_ with her," she protested to Tony, while comforting a crestfallen Thor, back in the privacy of Pepper's office. "He likes to talk! He even has a nickname on Asgard, 'Silverlips' or something."

"Silvertongue," Thor mumbled unhappily.

"Yeah, Silvertongue," she continued, smiling weakly at the enraged billionaire. She shrugged helplessly. "At least we know he cares enough about Darcy to-"

"Ha!" Tony barked. "We don't know shit, Doctor Foster. For all we know, he's taken her completely out of our reach to do who-knows-what to her-"

"Stark!" Thor stood suddenly and thrust a large finger at the other man. "My brother has NEVER taken a woman against her will."

"Oh, yeah? Was this BEFORE or AFTER he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people in this city and turned Barton into his bitch?"

"Fuck!" Pepper swore uncharacteristically as she saw the two men about to have at it. She scrambled over and pushed them apart from each other. "Stop it! Just- cool it! Will you?!"

Thor and Tony were still glaring daggers at each other, nostrils flared with anger, but they stopped.

"This is getting beyond a joke," she snarled at the both of them.

"I'm not laughing," Tony snapped back. Pepper turned her glare on him.

"Let's take stock, lady and gentlemen, shall we?" She proceeded calmly. "Thor? Does any of your fellow Asgardians, or heaven forbid, Odin, know that your brother is still alive?"

"No," he replied shortly, "No one knows. He seems to have shielded himself from Heimdall. The All Father is not even in Asgard." Pepper threw him a questioning look. "He is on a sacred pilgrimage to the Norns. The- uh, Fates," he glanced over at Jane, who nodded slightly, "to ask about the succession of the throne."

"It won't go to you?" Tony was interested despite himself.

Thor smiled at the small brunette by his side and took her hand gently. "I have given up my claim to the throne. To be with my Jane. It would have still gone to Loki, had he-" He stopped. "But I suppose it is too late for that now."

"You mean Loki could have still been king of Asgard?" Pepper asked. "Even after everything he did?"

Thor nodded and smiled wryly. "It seems strange to you humans, I suppose, but the Aesir are a long lived race, and Loki and I are merely at the beginning of our lives. He would have not remained imprisoned forever, despite his own assertions."

"What about the whole," Tony swept his hand over himself, "you know. Frosty the Snowman thing?"

"He had been adopted by the king of Asgard. Nothing can change that."

"Huh," Tony responded.

"Wait," Jane gasped. "Wait, wait, wait." She turned to Pepper with wide eyes. "What did he say to Darcy? 'To secure his legacy'?"

Pepper caught on. "Thor! Could he be making a play for the throne?"

Thor's mouth opened and closed a few times. "No!" He scoffed. Then he paused. "Yes!" He gasped. "If he had a clear line of succession, his claim would be valid."

"So, Loki has no kids?" Tony asked, somewhat delicately. "No, say," he rubbed his nose quickly with a thumb, "eight-legged horses?"

"What? No!" Thor exclaimed. "That was, ah- a joke." He shrugged, a slight flush colouring his cheekbones. "A jest." He scratched the back of his head. "It was all Fandral's idea," he finally muttered.

"Ha!" Pepper clapped her hands together sharply, making everyone jump. "We have means and motive. So. Who wants to call out the God of Lies?"

Tony's hand shot into the air like a kid in a classroom. "Oh, oh! Pick me, Miss!"

Pepper's eyes narrowed slightly at her boyfriend. "Possibly someone with- tact."

"Hey!" He protested. "I can be tactful." He turned to Jane and Thor. "Aren't I tactful?" The couple tactfully didn't answer. "Oh, please?" He whined to Pepper.

"I think I'll handle this one, Tony," she said slowly. "If Darcy doesn't make contact soon."

The Man of Iron pouted, "You guys ruin all my fun."


	9. Chapter Nine

"Breathe. Breathe, love. Breathe."

Darcy blinked rapidly and decided the voice in her ear may have a point. She took a deep breath and shuddered a little, slumping against the wall behind her. She started as the wall wrapped it's arms around her.

Not a wall, obviously.

She swiftly recalled the intervention that brought her to this point, and aimed an elbow into Loki's mid-section. It may have had little effect on the god, apart from the fact that she coupled it with a venomous, "Get off me!"

Her wonderful, magical powers - she never thought she get to say that outside of an RPG - kicked in, her pendant heated and pretty much threw Loki, the Norse God of Mischief and Lies, across the room.

She rounded on him furiously. "How DARE you, you spell-casting, baby-wanting, stalkery, emo god-"

He pulled himself back off the floor with what looked like a pout gracing his perfect features.

"Bring me back," she demanded, crossing her arms across her chest. Loki's bottom lip appeared to stick out even more.

"No."

Darcy's mouth dropped open. "No?" She repeated incredulously. "No? I don't think that's really up to you-"

"You don't sleep anymore," he said, a note of confusion colouring his voice.

She tightened her arms and looked away. "And why do you think that is, genius?" She muttered quietly. It disturbed her a little to realise that she could name the emotions flickering across his face. Goddess power, maybe? Hurt, anger, exasperation. He settled on the latter.

"Despite your status as Aesir, you still need your sleep, love."

She waved her right hand in his face, flashing the tattoo. "I'd love to, babe," she snarled the endearment, "but someone won't let me."

Eyes never leaving her face, he began to pace around her. "I cannot remove the spell, love."

"Can't, or won't?"

He didn't answer, just continued in his tight circle around her. She refused to look at him, and knotted her arms over her chest again. He stopped behind her and she felt him lean close and take a deep breath, his nose disturbing her hair. "Hey!" She protested, turning around and flailing in his general direction. "No sniffing the goods!"

Loki grinned wolfishly. "I could never resist temptation."

"Yeah, well, resistance builds character. So- don't." She watched him move around her uncomfortably. She cleared her throat, "I wish to go back, now."

"I wish to call in my favour," he replied smoothly.

"Your what?"

"My favour," he repeated. "The first night we met, you promised me a favour in return for me telling you why I was in your - what was it, 'freakin apartment'. I call in that boon."

He looked so damn pleased with himself. She narrowed her eyes at him and was about to tell him where exactly he could stick his favour, when she remembered something. "Hmm, and what if," she said with faux curiosity, "I call bullshit on your 'story'?"

He leaned toward her and waved a long finger in her face. "Ah uh, love. You never specified that the story had to be truthful." She slapped his finger away with a grimace.

"I don't like you," she groused, before she sighed, "Fine. What do you want?"

"I wish to teach you magic."

Darcy blinked. "You're kidding." Out of everything he could have asked for, that was seriously not it.

Loki looked away as he explained, "You are clearly coming into your powers, and I am... concerned, with how quickly this is happening. And it will help you sleep, if you have more control over our bond."

" _That_ is what you want to call your favour on? Seriously?" Darcy was shocked. Well and truly. "So it will stop the, you know," she shrugged uncomfortably, "dreams?"

"Yes," he said simply, still not looking at her. He was acting weird. The whole not looking at her was damaging her calm. Or it would, had she been calm to begin with. Loki usually loved to leer. She thought it might be a hobby.

Feeling herself beginning to blush a fetching shade of crimson, she delicately said, "Uh- I, uh. I thought the dreams were o-on purpose. Ah. Ahem. Yeah..."

Oh, sweet petunia this is the worst conversation ever.

He finally glanced at her and said just as delicately, "Side-effect of the spell to find you."

Darcy clicked.

"Wait, hang on." She held up a hand to stop him. "So you mean, you have no control over the dreams either?" His ears turned pink. "Seriously? So all that kinky-fuckery- You didn't-" He looked so uncomfortable that she just stared at him.

She felt something begin to bubble in her belly. She slapped a hand over her mouth. Then another.

It didn't help.

Laughter exploded from her. She couldn't stop. Loki looked seriously put out. That made it worse. Loki began to look concerned. And maybe he should be, Darcy's laughter _was_ turning slightly hysterical. She could feel his arms wrap around her shoulders as he lead her to a chair and sat her down. "I'm fine! I'm fine!" She gasped.

Her last few chuckles sounded more like sobs as she focused again on the god crouching down by her knees. She whacked him on the arm.

"Ow!"

"You asshole. Couldn't just ask me out like a normal guy, could you?"

He placed his hands back on her thighs, absently running his hands up and down her black work pants, as he balanced on the balls of his feet. He peered into her eyes. "Would that help?" He asked.

"Would what help?" She replied, confused and still a touch wary. 

"If I asked you out. On a date." Loki's lips worked awkwardly around the word.

Darcy's lips slowly curved into a smile. "You," she said, amused. "Want to go on a date." He nodded. "Do you even know what a date is?"

He nodded again but with a significant decrease in confidence. Then his clear green eyes brightened. He leaned forward onto his knees, his hands pushing Darcy's knees apart with the movement. "I am quite observant, I shall find out how. I wish to date you, Lady Darcy."

Lady Darcy wished the god between her legs was slightly less eager. She smiled tightly at him, hoping like hell he didn't notice how flustered she was getting.

If wishes were horses and all that.

"Wow, um. Yeah, so great! We're going out." Darcy patted Loki on the cheek and he flinched at the more forceful-than-necessary gesture. She attempted to rise from the chair, but the god's hands had now made their way around her lower back, and had pinned her somewhat to her seat. She cleared her throat. "Loki?"

His eyes, which were now level with hers, were locked on her lips. Her breath hitched as she saw the tip of his tongue touch his bottom lip. Shit. He was going to kiss her again. He leaned in a touch before she slapped a hand over his temping mouth. His eyes, which had gotten all lusty and dark-looking, snapped open. An eyebrow raised. Darcy narrowed her eyes slyly, lifted her chin and murmured, "I don't think so, babe."

The other eyebrow joined it's partner in a picture of hurt, puppy dog confusion. She turned smug. "I don't kiss on the first date."

His face joined his arms as they dropped from her waist and he sunk onto the floor. She removed her hand from his face and primly stepped over his long legs. Oh, she was enjoying making that baby-desperate god look like he was whacked upside the head with a two by four. "That's not fair," he breathed.

She snorted. "Yeah, well, finding out you only want me for my womb isn't fair either, sweet cheeks."

He shot to his feet with a look of indignant frustration. "That is not accurate, Darcy. You are my _match_ , my bond-mate, and-"

Darcy rounded on him and thrust a finger in his direction. "I refuse to be forced into this!"

Loki stood silent, his face not revealing anything. But she could see the wheels churning. He turned to her with a contemplative look. "I will reduce the effects of the spell. I cannot remove it entirely without risk of injury, but it will lessen the side-effects."

"What side-effects in particular?" She asked, subconsciously cradling her tattooed hand in the other.

His mouth quirked slightly when he saw her hands. "Yes, your rune marking will be inert. Also the pull-" he paused, "the pull you feel towards me will leave you."

"Huh," she said. The 'pull'? Does that mean she isn't actually attracted to him? "So what I feel is just a big ol' love spell?"

Darcy caught what looked like sadness in his eyes before he turned away. "Yes," he replied shortly.

She was almost disappointed. Almost. Mostly pissed off though. She shook herself. She should be dancing her happy dance that whatever he spiked her system with will be gone.

Being destined for each other was apparently a fairy tale after all. A bit sad that.

She must of not realised that her face had fallen a little. Loki was studying her intently. "What is it, love?"

"Oh, uh- nothing. It's okay." She pulled her face into a smile.

"May I still date you?"

Darcy's mouth revealed a more genuine smile as the God of Mischief and Lies uncomfortably pronounced the word.

"Sure," she shrugged. "Better make it good." She winked at him. He looked adorably awkward like that. His ears turned pink again.

"I- I'll return you home now," he stuttered.

Totes adorbs.

Bet he's never been called that before.

* * *

"You can't do this too me, Pep! I'm too young and stunningly handsome to die of worry!"

Pepper rolled her eyes so high that Tony thought she might actually lose them this time. Which would be a shame. She had such pretty eyes.

"I know you're worried, but there will be more security there that you can shake a stick at," she said. "If you're really worried, I can talk to Stewart in Legal. See if you can come despite the restraining order Greene-Taylor has on you."

"I cannot believe the Double Barrel got that through," Tony grumbled, pacing across the sunken living space. "I'm freakin Iron Man! Who doesn't want to be near me?"

Pepper crossed the space and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It'll be fine, sweetheart," she whispered into his ear. He shivered as her warm breath tickled the fine hairs at the back of his neck and slid his hands over her back, pulling her close to him.

"I hate it when I can't protect you," he whispered back.

He felt her smile against the skin just below his ear. "You'll always be my hero." That deserved a kiss, he decided, and moved a hand to cup her face. His lips touched hers gently and she opened them to him, allowing his tongue to trace her bottom lip before tangling with hers. She hummed appreciatively when they paused for breath and she pecked him on the nose before pulling away.

"I'll just finish off a few things down in the office, then be all yours for the night," she teased.

Remembering Darcy, he asked, "How's Boop doing?"

"Oh, she's fine. Good actually. She's looking so much better this week. She told me," Pepper stepped closer and lowered her voice, "that Loki reduced the spell. She's been able to sleep the whole night for the first time in months."

"Good," Tony nodded firmly. He'd been apprehensive since the god disappeared with the young brunette Friday, only to have her reappear back in her apartment a few hours later.

"And," she continued confidentially, "he's going to take her on a _date_."

"What?" Tony protested indignantly. "You're joking. Please tell me you're joking."

She shrugged, "Apparently he wants to do it right." Tony groaned. This was too much. He was _trying_ to protect the two women in his life from psychotic gods and equally psychotic software designers. Was it too much to ask that they could actually _work_ with him for a change?

Pepper patted the side of his face indulgently and said, "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll just have to cook my favourite Italian dish to make me feel better. Might leave you some too."

Pepper laughed and walked out the door. He turned away with a smile on his face only to yelp with shock.

"Holy crap on a cracker! The fuck're you doing here, God of Emos?" He clutched his chest, suddenly worried about his recently repaired heart.

Loki glowered at him in a way Tony was not comfortable with at all.

"What?" Tony demanded. "What is it now? Because, as much as I love staring into your pretty green eyes-"

"You!" Loki growled. 

Tony tensed and slid on his best poker face.

"You-" he snarled again, "have knowledge. Of Midgardian customs."

Tony blinked, bewildered. "What?"

"You know of the customs and traditions of Midgard!" The dark god was growing increasingly agitated. "You know of these?"

"Uh- yes?"

Loki jammed his hands on his designer jean-clad hips and blew a lock of dark hair out of his eyes with a frustrated breath. "Good." He fell silent.

Tony crossed his arms. He tapped his fingers on a bicep.

"And?"

Loki's lips tightened. Tony couldn't help the teasing note that entered his voice this time. There was adrenaline junkie, and then there was this, poking fun at a homocidal god. "And?" He drawled.

The god took a deep breath.

"IaskedDarcyoutonadateandIamunsureofwhatadateexactlyentails."

The billionaire felt his jaw drop before his mouth stretched into a wide grin. "You've never asked a girl out before?" He hooted.

The Glare increased. "Don't be simple, Stark. I have 'asked out' many women. Never. A. Midgardian. Understand?"

"This is surreal. I'm not sure how to deal with this revelation. Loki, the Divined Horned One, is asking me for _dating_ advice," Tony breathed in amazement. "I need to capture this moment for posterity." He pulled out his phone.

"Stark!" Beneath the violent hostility, Tony could sense the other man's desperation.

And he LOVED it.

"Oh, alright," he sighed, reluctantly sliding the phone back into his pocket. "Darcy wants you to take her out, fine. I will mention nothing of her appalling taste in men-"

"Stark." More of a groan that time.

"-and focus on getting you relationship-ready!"

Loki rubbed a hand over his face and stared balefully at Tony. "I should have gone to Thor," he muttered. 

* * *

Loki was unsettled. He could not say he was enamoured of that state of being, but unsettled was apparently what he had been called to be for now.

It didn't mean he had to like it.

But on the positive side, his new situation hadn't borne only unpleasantness. Darcy, on the one (only, really) hand was a delight. More than a delight. Pity she would barely let him touch her at the moment, but he hadn't been cast in the role of 'Silvertongue' for no reason. He chose to ignore the fact that his fancy words seemed to leave him at the very sight of her, with his thoughts mostly reduced exclusively to needing to find out if he could steal the air from her lungs with his afore-mentioned famous tongue.

Loki firmly believed she would come to his way of thinking soon enough. After all, he _was_ currently king of Asgard, with the royal court none the wiser. It was almost as if it was meant to be, with Loki slipping back to his childhood home through one of his secret pathways after faking his own death in Thor's arms, and finding the All Father collapsed in a private chamber he shared with his wife, deep in his Odin-Sleep. Loki could almost feel for the old man. He had felt that his own heart had been ripped out of his chest when he was callously told the news that the woman who had raised him had been slain at the hands of the Dark Elf Malekith.

It had been a simple matter of hiding Odin's Sleeping form and taking his place on the throne. Thor's rescinding of his own position was a very happy accident. With his former brother out of the way, Loki's way to rule was clear.

Apart from the fact that just about every Aesir and his horse would protest at having a Jotun runt on their throne. So he set out to legitimise his claim. Sending 'Odin' on a pilgrimage to the Norns, he set up a temporary living arrangement high in the mountains surrounding Asgard and poured over his salvaged magical texts. Then he found it. A way to keep what he had, rightly or wrongly, gained.

The spell was supposed to find a suitable Aesir woman of appropriate heritage that would bring legitimacy to his reign.

Instead, it found him a bewitching Midgardian goddess who came with protectors. Protectors who were very involved with his humiliation the last time he set foot in her realm.

Not an ideal situation, obviously.

But Loki was nothing if not adaptable. Case in point, he had listened to the Man of Iron rabbit on for nigh an hour about the 'finer points' of courting a woman of Midgard. It was simply amazing that the man had managed to hold onto his woman for so long.

However, the advice given was not completely irrelevant. Loki planned the perfect first date for Lady Darcy and the night was going swimmingly. Apart from the small issue of Darcy's cleavage. Well, not a _small_ issue, he supposed. She has a very impressive cleavage.

She had also made it quite clear that he should stop talking to it.

Loki begged to differ and asked if he could find out if it was as soft to touch as it looked.

Frankly, he wondered if he dropped his Silvered Tongue on the way to pick her up for the theatre earlier that night. After finding out exactly what a taser was and how Darcy planned to use the one in her jewelled clutch if he didn't watch himself, he decided that silence was golden indeed.

Catching up to her with a few long strides - she could move surprisingly fast for a woman shod in those dangerous looking heeled shoes - he pressed his luck again and snatched up her hand in his. She glared heartily, but didn't pull her hand away.

Success!

Loki tried not to look too hard into this simple acceptance of his touch. Did this mean that despite removing the main effects of the spell, Darcy still felt something towards him?

He was possibly over-analysing things. Maybe he should ask her what she felt? He felt his own insides freeze. He wouldn't be responsible for his actions if her response came back negative. No asking then. Perhaps he should-

He looked back at Darcy as he realised that she had stopped on the sidewalk. "Darcy?"

Her beautiful blue eyes were wide in fear, but she wasn't looking at him. Loki whirled around and found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. He cursed and backed up to Darcy, spreading his arms to herd her behind him. So much for protecting her, he couldn't even pay enough attention when escorting her on a date.

Ordinarily, a mortal with a weapon would not worry him, but it was who was carrying the weapon this time that gave him pause.

His lip twisted as he glared at the Black Widow.

"Darcy?" The woman called. "Could you come over here, please?" Loki shifted further back, not allowing Darcy to pass. "Excuse me, sir," she added, turning her cool gaze on the god, "Please let her pass."

Loki was infinitely pleased that his glamour appeared to be in tact, allowing no one except Darcy to see his true appearance. He was even more thrilled when Darcy continued to play on that, and answered the SHIELD soldier with a sharp, "What the hell is going on, Tash?"

Going against all instincts, he allowed his date to move in front of him, trying to look for all intents and purposes, like a normal, lack-witted Midgardian male. Stark was an inspiration.

Natasha Romanoff sighed. "We heard some disturbing reports, Darce. We just need to ask you a few things."

"Dude. You know where I work. There's no need to crash my date."

"The news came very recently. We wanted to check that you were safe."

"We?" Loki cleared his throat and touched Darcy's arm. Having her attention, he pointed to the roof of a nearby building, where the flash of a laser site flickered. "Oh," Darcy said, "right."

"This won't take long, Ms Lewis," a new, yet familiar, voice joined in. From the shadows, a tall man in a long leather coat emerged, hands clasped behind his back. There was a glint in his one remaining eye.

"Apologies for intruding on your evening," SHIELD Director Nick Fury continued smoothly.

"Holy crap on a cracker," Loki muttered darkly.


	10. Chapter Ten

Nick Fury's long leather duster flared out dramatically from his legs as he approached Darcy and Loki. He said nothing as he swept his gaze over the tall man standing behind the brunette. He looked vaguely familiar, but the SHIELD Director couldn't place him.

Darcy knew that Loki had done a magical thingy so people wouldn't recognise him as the Psycho Alien Loki while they were out on their date. They did get one or two strange looks, and some excited ones, oddly enough, from girls in their early teens. But all she saw was him. And she certainly _saw_ him. It had left her slightly confused all night, as she knew he had neutered the bond-mate spell - the dreams were nowhere near as persistent and he had touched her tattooed hand several times and she managed to stay upright, lady parts mostly unmelted - but all she had wanted to do was lick that bit of skin that stretched from his shirt collar to his earlobe.

Confusing. And frustrating.

Actually, mostly frustrating.

She even had a plan for conversation which had gone belly-up as soon as he stepped out of the luxury sedan outside her apartment. All thoughts of asking him about parentage, both hers and his, turned to goo when she took in his elegant figure encased in a dark charcoal suit, the perfectly fitted emerald green shirt and a tie, the exact shade of the shirt.

Then he smiled as he held the car door open, and her response was an elegant, 'guh'.

She was just starting to wrap her head around approaching the subject again when Natasha appeared out of nowhere and pointed a gun at her. She's _so_ off the Christmas card list. If Darcy had a Christmas card list.

"So, who is he?" Fury asked in his terrifying monotone.

Darcy shifted from one foot to another, looking for an escape, but unfortunately, she's no SHIELD agent. Not even an intern. "Um, my boyfriend?" She felt Loki's hand lightly touch between her shoulder blades. At least he hadn't freaked and slaughtered them all. 

That might give him away somewhat.

Fury glared unamused with his remaining eye and Natasha raised a brow over the revolver she had pointed at them. "And does your boyfriend have a name?" He spat.

Shit. A name. A name- She cleared her throat, "Edward?"

Oh, great thinking, Darce. Damn Stark and his nicknames. She resisted the urge to face-palm.

Okay, let's go on the offensive. "Tash, please. Could you not- I don't feel comfortable with the whole, you know-" she waved her hand at the weapon.

Natasha smiled reassuringly. "I don't have it pointed at you, Darcy."

Darcy stepped back closer to Loki. "That's not helping. At all." She reached back and felt his hand slide into hers.

"Ms Lewis," Fury continued. "Have you or, Edward," he sneered the name, "had any contact with aliens apart from Thor Odinson?"

"Not that I'm aware of," she replied, as coolly as possible.

"Loki of Asgard has not tried to contact you in any way?"

"Loki? Thor's brother? Thor's DEAD brother?"

"That's the one."

"Uh, no," she chuckled uncomfortably, "No dead gods have tried to communicate with me. Ever."

She could tell Loki was becoming increasingly unamused with the whole situation. His grip on her hand tightened and he was beginning to shift his body slightly in front of hers again. "Is this necessary?" He said, gritting his teeth.

Darcy tried not to start as the accent that came out of his mouth was distinctly American, rather than the British-type one she was used to. Familiar too...

"This won't take long, Mr-"

Loki's jaw locked and Darcy began to think that that was it. A confrontation between Fury and Loki would be on so many levels more messy than any between Loki and Tony. Especially as Fury's side had a lot more guns.

A clap of thunder shook the air and a flash of checked flannel and blue jeans streaked towards them. All four took hasty steps backward as Thor crashed to the ground between them, perfectly crouched, Mjolnir clutched firmly in one hand.

Natasha's mouth dropped open and the grip on her gun faltered. "Thor?" Her normally low voice was pitched higher than usual.

Thor's eyes flicked up to his audience, and he stood quickly, taking in the scene. He laughed loudly, probably trying for nonchalance, but instead arriving at 'laughing at the bosses' distinctly unfunny joke'. "Lady Darcy! There you are!" He laughed again. "And your- male companion! Good evening!"

Ugh. Thor. Just- stop.

The blonde god whirled around to face Natasha and Fury. "My friends! How good it is to see you this fine night!" Fury looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. "I was just- out. Looking for Darcy and-"

"Edward," Darcy supplied helpfully.

"-and Edward. To go, uh- to a function-"

"Thor," Fury growled.

"-with Jane and myself! Ha, ha!"

"Oh, good grief," Natasha muttered.

A car horn startled them all into turning towards the street. Tony was leaning out of the window of a sleek black SUV, waving cheerfully. "Nick! Tash! Hey, guys!"

"And our ride has arrived," Thor grinned maniacally.

Darcy was not one to turn down a golden opportunity like this one. Wrapping her arm around Loki's trim waist, she whispered frantically, "In, in!" And shoved him towards the vehicle. Of course, he insisted in dragging her along with him, nearly lifting her off her feet in their urgency to get to the car.

"Darcy," Natasha sighed, holstering her gun.

"Catch up soon, Tash!" She whooped as Loki threw her into the backseat.

"Everyone in?" Tony said. "Good. Let's get the hell out of dodge." He slammed his foot down on the accelerator and took off with a squeal.

"Oh, so smooth there, Big Guy," Darcy laughed breathlessly. Thor turned and grinned goofily from the front seat. "I sense Oscar material."

Loki sat sprawled on the wide seat next to her, taking up most of the space with his long legs, breathing rapidly.

"No thanks from Mr Sparkly in the peanut gallery," Tony drawled. "Typical."

"You-" Loki swallowed visibly, then turned to Darcy, "You could have been k-killed. They would have shot-" he shuddered.

"Hey, hey," she said, concerned. She ran a hand over his shoulders. "I'm okay. It's okay. Loki-"

He suddenly twisted to her, running his hands over her, seemingly checking for injuries. Also seemingly unaware that she was gasping and squirming at the sensations his hands were producing. "Loki!" She gasped.

"Darcy," he groaned, and crushed her to him. She tried to calm her rapidly beating heart and patted the dark god somewhat awkwardly on the back. She cast a quick look at the front seat, where Thor was blatantly staring with hope in his shiny blue eyes and where Tony was gaping into the review mirror mouthing, 'What the fuck.'

Then all thought processes stopped as Loki pulled her across his lap so she straddled him, wove his hands through her loosening hair and pressed his mouth against hers. She made a surprised sound in the back of her throat, which quickly turned to a moan. Loki pulled back, capturing her face between his large hands and whispered brokenly, "Oh, my love. I can't-"

He dove in for another round, this time parting her lips. His tongue flickered against hers before taking possession of her mouth. Darcy's mouth had no issues with being occupied by Loki's tongue. None at all. In fact, she probably encouraged it by spearing her fingers into his soft dark hair and tracing the space behind his top teeth with her own tongue with a sound that she was pretty sure she had never made before in her life.

His hips jerked beneath hers and she pressed hers forward, grinding into him, even as he pressed a hand into her lower back, encouraging her closer. She inadvertently flattened her hand over his heart, and he tore his lips from hers with the sexiest whine she'd ever heard. She vaguely heard another sound.

"-the FUCK. STOP MAKING OUT IN MY CAR."

Shit.

Darcy thought that she may have possibly answered the question of whether she was attracted to Loki for real. She pulled back, panting, Loki's hands still firmly on her hips. His thin lips were swollen and red from her favourite lipstick and his usual ice green gaze was hazy. He blinked several times before pulling his head up from the seat and sharply focussing on the two occupants in front. Without dislodging her, he slid out of his suit jacket and swung it over her, silently encouraging her arms inside the too long sleeves. After securely wrapping his arms around her, he continued to glare at Thor and Tony.

"Thank whatever gods are still left up there," Tony snarled as he drove into the Stark Tower carpark. "My modes of transportation are NOT for the giving and receiving of sensual pleasure for homocidal gods and their girlfriends."

"Shut up, Stark," Darcy replied, slightly muffled in Loki's embrace. She caught Loki's eye and grinned naughtily. "You might actually learn a thing or two."

Loki snickered as Tony gagged loudly.

Thor still couldn't look at anyone without blushing heartily.

"At least I wasn't making out with Edward Cullen," Tony retorted.

Silence.

"What?"

* * *

"Darcy!"

Not expecting the greeting, Darcy jumped somewhat, dropping her handbag which had been loosely clutched in her hand ready to leave. Facing the surprisingly-loud-for-her-size astrophysicist standing at the door to the Communications office, she adjusted the glasses which had slipped a little down her nose.

"Rude, Jane. What have I told you about using your indoor voice?" She said, unimpressed.

Jane blew a raspberry and waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever, Miss I-can't-be-bothered-getting-up-so-I'll-throw-something-at-you Lewis." She wrapped up her friend in a hug. "You look so much better!"

"Uh, thanks?"

"I mean it. Things are better, right?"

Darcy hesitated. "I suppose so?" She looked around at the other office staff uncomfortably. "Let's go get some drinks."

They both slid into a booth at a bar not far from the Stark building. Jane took a healthy sip of her red before pointing at Darcy. "Come on, Darce. You've been avoiding me for weeks, and I'm worried." She laid a gentle hand over Darcy's. "Are you okay?"

Darcy took a sip of her own house white and met Jane's eyes. "To be honest, I still think I'm gonna wake up and it'll all be some sort of weird sleep deprived dream I slipped into. I don't-" she paused, looking away, "I don't know if I'm dealing with this very well."

Jane's eyes softened and her brows drew together worriedly. "Oh, Darce. Darcy," she breathed, "You have been dealing with this amazingly. Well, apart from the not talking to me." That coaxed a small smile from her friend. "Tell me. Come on," she encouraged.

Darcy took a deep breath. "I went out on a date with Loki last night." She dropped her head back and laughed mirthlessly. "Date with Loki. That sounds so weird. Anyway," her head dropped forward again, "we went out and I wanted to ask him, you know, about my birth parents. And maybe his. But mostly mine. However, we were interrupted. By SHIELD." Comprehension dawned in Jane's eyes. Thor must not have told her the whole story about his impromptu rescue. "I want to know if he knows who they are. Do you think he knows?" She looked pleadingly at the other woman. "Do you think Thor knows?"

Jane felt slightly guilty, knowing how much she and Thor, along with Tony and Pepper, had speculated about Darcy in the last few weeks. She pushed it aside and hoped Darcy would forgive her for that. "I've asked Thor about your birth parents." Oh, there's the guilt again. Damn Darcy and her big blue eyes looking all hopeful and vulnerable. "He doesn't know, Darce."

Darcy's face fell, "No?"

"If Loki knows, we wouldn't be able to tell. He speaks to you more than Thor."

Darcy fell back into her seat, sighing heavily. "This really sucks, you know."

Jane grimaced. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, dude," Darcy grinned wryly. "Well, anyways, I've managed twenty-five years without them, so I think I'll be okay if I don't know."

Jane grinned back, relieved that Darcy really did look better. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "So, uh- You and Loki are- You know, really dating?"

Darcy lowered her head to meet Jane's, noses nearly touching. "Yes," she whispered, straight faced.

"Holy crap," Jane giggled, "That is just so- so-"

"Unexpected?"

"No-"

"Hot?"

"Well-"

"Terrifying?"

The astrophysicist laughed. "Maybe," she snorted. "Look, when we first met in Asgard I may have been a bit out of it with the almost dying and such. And I did hit him," she smirked as Darcy's mouth dropped open, "but he and Thor- you could tell they were brothers. That Loki cared. It wasn't what I expected from the god that went on a killing spree on Earth."

Darcy paused a moment, taking a sip of her wine. "Yeah," she conceded. "He's not really what you expect, huh?"

* * *

A great big bunch of flowers was sitting on Darcy's kitchen bench the next morning. Since they weren't there when she went to bed the night before, and was pretty sure she'd remember letting someone in to leave them all-pretty-like on display, she was fairly confident that they came from the god who was wooing her. She shoved her hands on her hips and stared at the ceiling, letting the taste of that swirl around her brain for a bit. Rocking back and forth on her heels she hummed tunelessly, waiting for it to sink in.

Hmm. Yeah, nah.

She shrugged and approached the deep red lilies, taking a whiff before reaching for the card nestled in the blossoms. The card shimmered with a pearl-like gold and the writing was neat and flowing. Not used to the to the style of script, she narrowed her eyes at the message before she gaped. She could feel herself turn as red as the flowers as the heat rushed through her body.

Oh, he did _not_ just write that.

Kinky bastard.

Waving a hand at her face, she blew out a breath, and looked around instinctively for witnesses. None. Good. She grinned a little to herself. That message was going nowhere. Darcy slid the card into an unused kitchen draw, safe from all eyes but hers.

* * *

Darcy stood uncomfortably next to Pepper as Daniel Greene-Taylor and his posse finally turned up to the meeting room. The two women and a half-dozen representatives from Stark Industries had been waiting in the painfully pastel coloured meeting room at the Greene Software headquarters for a good fifteen minutes before the CEO decided to show.

She would have felt more at ease had the meeting been on her home turf of the Stark building, but it was hard to reinforce a restraining order when you were in the building owned by the guy you had restrained.

She tried not to fidget as Daniel's dark eyes swept over her. Yuck.

"Ah, Ms Potts and team! Welcome, welcome!" His voice cut through the noisy air-conditioning like a knife. Pepper immediately held out her hand to shake.

"Thank you for agreeing to this meeting, Mr Greene-Taylor." Daniel took her hand in both of his and shook it slowly. Darcy could see a slight twitch in Pepper's eye as the man held on. "We hope we can sort this out as amicably as possible."

Pepper visibly fought not to snatch her hand back as Daniel let go. The CEO stared at her a moment longer before he smiled widely. "Let's all take a seat then, shall we?"

Despite Pepper's best efforts, however, the conversation quickly turned sour.

"This technology you're harbouring is dangerous," Daniel snarled. "Need I remind you of the damage to property and loss of life that has occurred in this city alone due to accidents with ill-planned technology that we don't understand."

"I understand where you are coming from, Mr Greene-Taylor," Pepper replied through gritted teeth. "What I don't understand is why Greene Software is so interested in the R&D Department of Stark Industries. Our primary research revolves around green energy alternatives-"

"Stark should not be allowed exclusive access to this technology-"

"Stark _developed_ this technology, what gives you the right to demand access to intellectual property developed by our company?"

"The _right_ that demands that this city be safe from egomaniacs such as Tony Stark and his ilk!" Daniel thumped a fist on the table. Darcy fought not to jump at the violent movement. "Don't think I don't know that you use alien technology in your R &D. Only a fool would miss an opportunity like that, and Stark may be many things, but he's not a fool."

The pen in Pepper's fingers looked like it was about to snap in half. "The technology developed by Stark has been instrumental in _saving_ this city, Mr Greene-Taylor. At no point in the last five years has anything we developed been used for a destructive-"

"Nothing?" Daniel stood suddenly. "Nothing? Exhibit A, Ms Potts."

The Stark team leaned back as one in their seats, away from the erratic CEO, whose dark eyes were opened wider than what was considered sane. The two security guards that came with them cautiously touched their hands to their weapons.

Daniel reached into his open suit jacket and drew out what looked to Darcy to be a Sonic Screwdriver. Before she could guess which Doctor the screwdriver belonged to, he activated the device, high in the air, and the windows behind the Stark team shattered as an invisible surge of energy pushed everyone away from the table.

Chairs toppled and Darcy's legs went up over her head with a shriek.

She looked up from the floor and cried out in horror as the the two security guards lost their footing and toppled over the edge of the space where the window was meant to be.

Snarling, Loki appeared where the two men disappeared and threw his hands out, one towards the falling guards, another to Daniel Greene-Taylor and his shocked employees.

Daniel froze where he stood, arm still aloft.

In the window, Tony Stark in full Iron Man regalia ascended, a guard clutched in each of his gloves. Setting them safely inside the room, he nodded to Loki, who unfroze Daniel and was at Darcy's side in an instant, helping her from the floor, gingerly avoiding the broken glass.

Daniel blinked again in surprise as he realised Iron Man was directly in front of him, point blank range, hand glowing mere feet from his face.

"Well, THAT escalated quickly, don't you think?" Tony's voice sounded pleasant enough behind his mask, but the rage was clearly there.

Daniel recovered quickly enough to hiss, " _Your_ technology, Stark. You only have yourself to blame."

"No," Tony spat. "I only have YOU, Doctor Horrible." His voice rose, "Negotiations are over. We're leaving. Edward."

He turned sharply to Loki. Loki had wrapped himself quite effectively around Darcy, but unwound himself reluctantly to help the rest of the Stark team off the floor, with Tony gently reaching down for his girlfriend.

"This is not over, Stark," Daniel said menacingly.

"Oh, it so is, Doctor. YOU are over."


	11. Chapter Eleven

In the interest of appearing Midgardian, Loki was forced to restrain himself from tightening his hold on Darcy and disappearing with her from the offensively coloured building. It would do no good to call SHIELD's attention again.

The dark-eyed Greene-Taylor surveyed the group as they calmly walked out, as if Stark didn't have his iron hand inches away from taking out his torso. Loki curled his fingers into the shaking Darcy as he turned away.

The man's gaze reminded him uncomfortably of his own not so long ago.

The group stepped, exhausted, into the elevator, Stark still in his full armour. His visor lifted with a small hum. Silence hung heavily over the group, until Lady Pepper broke it with a small cough.

"I apologise for what just took place. Everyone in this lift can have the rest of this week off. The police will be getting a detailed report," her voice faded.

Silence fell again.

"Iron Man freakin saved my life," one of the security guards breathed as the doors opened in the Greene Software foyer.

The odd looking group made their way across the foyer, ignoring the gawkers. The human police had already begun to arrive in their brightly coloured vehicles. One jogged up to Stark as they calmly stepped through the rotating glass door. "Mr Stark?" He asked.

"Floor twelve," Stark answered. "This device caused the damage. A Stark prototype from about five years ago. Limited run." He held up the small cylindrical weapon. "A few went missing during the Battle."

Loki tried not to flinch at the reminder.

As the Midgardians in blue stormed the building, they moved towards the waiting cars. The Man of Iron flicked a switch and stepped out of his suit. The suit closed and the billionaire muttered something to the Jarvis machine and the entire thing took off, streaking across the sky towards the Stark Building.

It concerned him that Darcy had not yet said a word. He pulled her closer, and she didn't protest. Very concerning.

"I believe my Darcy is going into shock," his smooth voice belied the anxiety boiling in the pit of his stomach. "I wish to return her to her apartment."

Tony's worry over his own Pepper overrode his own judgment and he nodded. "Fine. Just- make sure no one sees you, okay?"

Loki inclined his head in acknowledgement and created a double of his 'Edward' persona and Darcy, making their real selves invisible. He watched the doubles silently enter the cars as Darcy shook in his arms. Then he tightened his grip and took them back to Darcy's tiny abode.

* * *

Tony answered his mobile with a terse, "Yes?"

He hadn't let Pepper's hand leave his grip during the whole trip back to their penthouse in the Stark Building. He had kicked himself when Loki left, only realising after the god and Darcy had gone that he could have asked for a similar 'beam me up' treatment for himself and Pepper.

Well, the human way will have to do for now.

The detective on the other side of the line was prompt in his explanation. "Daniel Greene-Taylor was not in the building, Mr Stark. We have issued a warrant for his arrest," he continued over Tony's furious 'what?' "He won't get far."

"Update me within the hour," Tony snapped. "Greene-Taylor is now a threat to the safety of the city. He needs to be found quickly, and I need to make sure that happens."

"We will, sir." Tony hung up with a sigh of frustration, dropping his head back onto the seat.

"Tony," Pepper said softly. He whipped up his head.

"You okay, sweetheart?" He lifted his unattached hand to stroke the side of her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed a moment, there."

"I'm so sorry, Pep. I seem to be in the habit of attracting these types of-"

"Super-villains?"

He coughed. "Yeah. Them."

She chuckled. "You _are_ a superhero, Tony." The superhero raised an eyebrow at her. "It's true. We're living in a comic book."

Tony laughed reluctantly. "I can't deny that. Doesn't help that you get pulled into these super-ass-ups with me though."

"You and me," Pepper said, "we make it through."

"Yeah, we do, don't we?" Tony replied softly.

* * *

Darcy was vaguely aware of what was going on around her, but was unable to contribute. Which was a shame, really, because she really wanted to know how the hell Creepazoid got his hands on that Sonic Screwdriver and how the hell he escaped a building twelve floors up.

Instead, she just stood there and shook a little more.

Classy.

At least she was warm. And the warmness smelt _really_ good. Taking a deep breath and opening her eyes, she looked around in confusion.

"How did I get here?"

Loki's gorgeous face filled her vision. "Darcy, love. I've brought you to your dwelling."

She blinked. "That's nice of you."

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "It's no trouble on my behalf, love. You may have a bit of shock, so I want you to dress warm and go to bed. I shall bring you a beverage to help you sleep."

She smiled back, a bit dazed. Touching her nose to his, she whispered, "Oh-kay." And tapped his cheek twice with her fingers to emphasise the syllables.

"Good," Loki said, straightening to his full height. "Off you go." He pushed her gently towards her bedroom.

She was still trying to figure out why she was suddenly dressed in her warmest hoodie and leggings when Loki entered her room, baring a fancy mug of- something Asgardian, she supposed. "You know," she started, "I was gonna ask you stuff the other night. About my godly parents and stuff-"

"We will talk on that soon, love. Here, make sure you drink all of this."

Darcy took the cup from his hands and lifted it to her nose for a somewhat delicate sniff. "What is this?"

"A gentle sleeping draught of my own design."

"More magic?"

Loki sat on the edge of the bed. "Yes, more magic."

She took a sip of the hot liquid and hummed approvingly. "That's good."

Loki was staring at her intently. Even in her befuddled state, she began to squirm under his gaze.

"What?"

"You're spectacular," he blurted.

What?

"Really?" Darcy drawled, raising an eyebrow. Loki's brain suddenly seemed to click onto what he said, and his pale skin flushed with colour. He coughed awkwardly and stood.

"Yes, well. You are also rather fragile and prone to leaping into danger," he blustered, looking everywhere but at her. "I dislike it immensely."

Darcy's eyes were beginning to droop, but her head was finally clearing from the fog of shock. "I'll have you know, my life was pretty normal until your brother dropped from the sky. Not my fault, dude."

"It was not my- oh. Yes. That may have been my fault."

She chuckled. "I shouldn't laugh. You very nearly killed us all with that Robot of Doom."

His eyes widened. "You were there?"

"Ah huh," she nodded and took another sip. "I pretty much just went with the run-and-hide scenario, since I thought I was human and all."

"By all the Norns," Loki breathed. "I could have killed you before we even met."

Darcy slid down against the pillows, feeling very zen about the whole Puerto Antiguo situation. "I'm sure you would have found an equally sassy baby incubator had I been killed."

Loki rounded on her incredulously. "How can you say-" Darcy waved the mug in his face. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh. This shit is sweeeeet," she elongated the last word with a giggle.

He plucked the mug out of her hands and ignored her indignant 'hey!'

"I was enjoying that, you God of Mug Stealing!"

"And you should well and truly be asleep by now, Goddess of Sass. Go on, lie down." He pulled the blankets out from under her and adjusted her pillows.

"Goddess of Sass. I like it," she smacked her lips together as if tasting the words. "Maybe my real mom was the Goddess of Smackdowns or something. Do you have a Goddess of Smackdowns?"

"I shall check the Divine Register."

"There's a Divine Register?"

"Of course there is," Loki replied, straight-faced.

Darcy hesitated then burst into drunken laughter. "Liar!" She snorted gleefully.

"I have been accused of that occasionally."

"Oh, just occasionally?" Darcy imitated his accent badly.

"It is so hard to convince people of your sincerity when one of your titles is 'The God of Lies', love." He pouted, then gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Sleep now."

Darcy was feeling very comfortable now, her tongue most of all. "Y'don' even love me," she mumbled into her pillow, "'s why d'ya keep callin' me 'love'?"

Loki stopped breathing. This was the moment to tell her. He straightened and contemplated her bed chamber wall, then ran a hand through his dark hair. He took a deep breath, steeled himself and answered, "Because I think I always have."

Darcy's reply was a soft snore.

* * *

 

Tony's response to Loki's reappearance on his penthouse balcony was- not as _manly_ as the billionaire would have liked. Unless manly was now defined as a short, sharp shriek coupled with throwing the bottle of water he was drinking out of at the god, then clutching his chest, panting for good measure.

"I hope," Loki sighed, "that one day I will be able to greet Midgardians without having beverages or punches thrown at me." He shook the water off his hands and magicked the dampness out of the black suit he was wearing.

"Fat chance, Mr Cullen," Tony retorted, catching his breath. "You still top the polls for Earth's least popular sparkly vampire."

Loki stared at him blankly. "Sometimes I don't understand a word that comes out of your rather significant mouth. We are both speaking Midgardian English, correct?"

Tony favoured him with a droll look. "Your cover is Edward Cullen and you have no idea who that is?"

"I based my double on less than five seconds of your YouTube," he sniffed. Then paused. "Wait. Is this human significant?"

Tony quickly debated coming clean with the god. "Nah, you're all good, Lokes."

"Do not call me Lokes."

Loki turned and followed the other man into the light-filled living area. "So, Livin' la vida Loki," Tony called back, "I've kept that drink on ice for a good two years now, and I need to restart the old ticker, thanks to your divine intervention." He held up a bottle of whisky and gave it a little shake in Loki's direction. "Yes?" He asked expectantly.

Loki covered his surprise at the offer with a short nod. "Although, Stark, it is barely acceptable to be drinking at this hour."

Tony snorted, "Of all the Midgardian customs to remember..." He poured a fingers worth of the golden liquid into the glass and held it out. Loki took it carefully in his long fingers, still not quite sure why Stark had not yet yelled at him for something.

The billionaire held up his own drink with a big grin. "Skul!"

Loki felt a smile crack his face, and lifted his own drink up. Taking a small sip, he looked curiously at the other man. Tony raised a brow and lowered his glass with a small sigh.

"You might be wondering why the hell I'm being so nice?"

"The thought had crossed my mind."

Tony hesitated, then moved out from behind the bar, crossing the floor to the sunken lounge room. Flopping into the leather couch, he propped up his feet on the glass coffee table and cocked his head at the god.

"I'll make it simple. I called for help. You helped. That-" he pointed at Loki with his drink filled hand, "makes it simple."

Loki lowered himself into a chair opposite. "Nothing about you, Stark, is simple."

"You've changed." Tony held his hands up in surrender, the remaining whisky sloshing dangerously to one side. "Loathe as I am to admit it. You appeared. Helped me. Saved two people _very_ important to me." He paused. "Didn't kill anyone. An important point, seeing as there was some very strong provocation at the time."

Loki narrowed his eyes at him. "There must be something else, surely. You sent Thor to find Darcy and myself when SHIELD cornered us. That was before that Daniel-creature's attack."

Tony smirked and took another sip. "That's for me to know, and you to never find out."

Loki pinched his nose between two fingers. "Fine. Just don't set the Green Beast on me again."

"Only if you refrain from tossing me out the window."

A few hours later the god and the billionaire were shouting again.

"All I am saying," Loki growled as he slapped the side of the black controller a couple of times, "is that it is unrealistic for healing points to be gained by picking them up from the ground. I have been in _many_ battles-"

Tony leaned over and snatched the black plastic from the other man's grip. "Stop that! Hitting it won't help. Look," he said, pointing at the large screen in front of them. "This is a _game_ , Lokidoodle. Surely you've played some godly games before - they're not supposed to be realistic."

"This is obviously a war game, built to prepare younglings for the battle field. Having them believe that they can restore their health by simply _picking_ up a rogue bottle-" He snatched the controller out of Tony's hands again.

Not sure how it came to playing screen games with the Man of Iron, Loki was startled out of the conversation by the vibrating of his, formerly Darcy's, cellular device in his suit pocket. Pulling it out deftly, he hid a grin at the photo of his Darcy smiling in her sleep.

Lady Darcy may have protested at him watching her sleep - his love yelling 'Stalkery!' echoed in his mind - but she makes the most adorable-

Right, he should answer the phone.

He stood and said, "Hello, love." Tony immediately stopped wrestling with his plastic game controller and blatantly eavesdropped. Throwing the man a dirty look, he moved away and smiled as Darcy snorted.

"Yeah, yeah. Hi, babe," she replied dryly.

"Are you still at work?" He asked, curious to see if she was below his feet.

"Ah-huh, yep. Just on a break." He warmed at the thought of her being so close. He hummed happily, realised Stark could hear him, then tried to cover it by clearing his throat. Oh, he had it bad. He pressed his lips together tightly. Very bad.

"What occasions the call, my Darcy?"

She hesitated. Loki noticed that Tony was already bored with their conversation and had sunk into the comfortable settee, feet up on the leather cushions, the large screen turned off.

Loki began to panic. "You are still able to go on our date tonight," he asked quickly, the statement turning into a question.

"Oh. Oh, yeah. That's cool, dude. Still on!"

He let out a relieved breath. "Of course," he replied confidently. "You will not be disappointed, love."

She laughed again. Apparently, his Darcy thought it was hilarious that he was taking her out on dates.

"Um," Darcy paused. He could hear her light breathing through the phone line.

"Love?"

She let out a long sigh and said reluctantly, "We kinda need to talk." Loki's heart froze.

"Talk?" That came out a little too high for his tastes. He consciously lowered his voice again with a casual clearing of the throat. "What about?" Tony, who had almost been entirely devoured by the soft corner sofa, sat up again with extreme interest, hands clutching the backrest as he leaned over to peer at Loki.

Ignoring the other man with a curl of his lip, Loki heard her stutter nervously, "Um. We- We can talk tonight, 'k? S-See you then." She hung up.

She. Hung. Up.

Of all the cruel, perverse, maddening things she could have done - She said THAT then hung up.

He glared at Tony as the man began to chortle. "Oh, Lokes. You are so-"

"Do NOT say it, Stark-"

" _So_ screwed. What the hell did you do?"

"I did nothing. I am doing everything right. Everything!" He hesitated. "I'm fairly confident that I am doing everything right. I've even stopped talking to her breas- Never mind." He groaned, head dropping back on his long neck. "She cannot leave this hanging over my head like the bloody Sword of Damocles-"

He began to pace, his long legs eating up the distance from one wall to another. "Will you stop cackling, you noisy, dim-witted troll!"

Tony had fallen off the sofa into an inelegant heap on the floor, uncontrolled in his laughter, tears rolling down his face. Loki marched over to him and loomed over the helpless billionaire. "Do not think our temporary truce will keep me from removing your small intestines through your nostrils," he snarled.

Tony waved him back. "Oh, oh-" he gasped for breath, wiping away the tears with the heels of his palms. "Oh, this is GOLD!" He looked at the God of Mischief's unhappy face and collapsed into giggles again.

"Stop it!" The command sounded suspiciously like a whine.

Tony gleefully imitated him from the floor.

"I don't have to put up with this," Loki huffed. "I refuse to wait for tonight-"

"Oh- oh, no you don't!" Tony gasped from Loki's feet. "You do not. Ever. Push a woman into a fight before it's absolutely impossible to avoid it."

"Something is obviously weighing on her mind, Stark. It would be better it we cleared the air sooner rather than-"

A distant boom and the shuddering of the ground drove both men to silence.

"What was that?" Tony asked, turning to the large windows overlooking the city.

Loki frowned. "I'm not sure-" He was interrupted by a whistling sound that was increasingly becoming louder.

"Hey-"

"Shh!" Loki motioned for the other man to be silent, as he narrowed his eyes at the skyline. They widened as he caught sight of something heading directly for Stark Tower.

"Stark," the god pointed out the window and turned quickly to Tony. "There."

Tony swore as his human eyes spotted what Loki had just seen. "What _is_ that?"

"Nothing good," he hissed. He could feel a roiling in his gut, so similar to when he was in proximity to the Other. He hated that feeling. "We need to get everyone out of the building. And you need-."

"To suit up, right," Tony nodded. "Wait! Can you use your voodoo?"

"My what? Stark, this is no time for-"

"Your magic!"

"Yes, I can. Go!"

The billionaire raced for the back of the penthouse. Loki was suddenly very aware that Darcy was in the building. He focussed, cursing the weakened bond and the tightening of his chest at that awful gut-wrenching sense of the Other, as he struggled to find her six levels below. He readied himself to go to her when Stark came out, clad in his Iron Man suit.

But by then it was too late.

The gigantic machine, a grotesque imitation of the Man of Iron, latched itself to the top of the building. The roof buckled under its weight and the windows shattered.

The 'R' and 'K' of the Stark sign fell to the ground below in a shower of sparks.

"Aw, come on, guys! Not again!" Stark's voiced cried out from behind his visor. He threw his hands up in frustration. "Always my Tower. Always!"

Loki felt sick. "Stark, tell your Jarvis machine to evacuate everyone."

"Already done, Lokes. I'm heading out and Thor's on his way. I'll see you out there." He took off out of the glass-less frame.

Simple as that. Stark trusted him to help. If even just for the sake of the woman Loki lov-

Loki stared down at his shaking hands. Nothing. Not even a spark.

Darcy was trapped in the building and his magic was gone.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Try not to laugh too hard at my attempts at action writing.

Darcy rang off her phone call with Loki with a grimace and threw her cell onto the lunchroom table. That came out all wrong. And to make it worse, she hung up on him. Maybe she should ring back and just tell him not to worry, she only wanted to talk about her biological parents.

Her fingers itched to snatch up the phone again when she heard a distant boom. The table rattled, and her phone shuddered to the edge. She gasped and grabbed the side of the table. That was no earthquake. She stood and began to reach over the table to collect the phone when she caught sight of the window.

A small dark shape grew over the skyscrapers of Manhattan as she watched with horrified fascination. "Uh, oh," she breathed.

She jumped as the emergency alarm blared and Jarvis' voice came on over the speakers. "Emergency evacuation. Emergency evacuation. Please proceed to the nearest exit. This is not a drill," the A.I. announced calmly.

With one last glance at the growing shape, Darcy dashed out of the staff room and headed for the stairs. She almost knocked over Pepper in her haste.

"Pep!" She half-yelled over the sirens. "What's going on?"

"No idea," Pepper yelled back, taking Darcy's elbow to avoid being jostled by the staff heading for the stairs. "Best thing is to do what the friendly neighbourhood A.I. tells us!"

"No issues with that!" Darcy responded as she tottered along with the taller woman. "Ugh, hang on." She leaned over to tug off her heels.

"Darcy!" an alarmed shout came from Pepper as a rush of Stark employees separated them. An almighty crash threw them all to the floor and the lights flickered dangerously.

"Whoa!" Darcy cried out and let out a worried chuckle. "You go, Pep, I'll catch up!"

The rush of bodies had now turned into a stampede, complete with terrified shrieks. Darcy could see Pepper yelling something to her, but couldn't make out anything as her boss was swept out of the hallway and into the stairwell. Darcy clambered to her feet, but was shoved back against the wall by a guy in a suit.

"Hey!" She protested, but it fell on deaf ears.

Clutching her shoes in one hand, she joined the crowd heading down the stairs with a jog. She gasped as her foot was trodden on, so she tried to use her elbows to keep the panicked employees from running into her. She was about to squeeze through the doors to the stairwell when the building shook violently and the lights went out. At least three people screamed in her ear before a foot went into the back of her knee and she collapsed to the ground with a scream of her own.

Darcy had about half a second to figure out being on the floor wasn't a great place during an evacuation.

Good thing she was out cold with a knee to the back of the head by the time the last of the terrified staff crushed her hand and bruised two of her ribs clambering over her to get out.

* * *

 

Loki gave a frustrated snarl as he attempted to raise some magic, any magic. Looking again out of the shattered windows of the penthouse, he gave up the idea of joining Stark and decided to focus on his reason for breathing.

Darcy.

He raced out of the door and located the nearest stairwell, throwing himself down the stairs, four at a time. He soon ran into Midgardians whipped into a frenzy of panic, pushing and shoving in their desperation to get out of the building. They were so preoccupied in trying to get out that they didn't even notice who was racing down the stairs next to them.

Bursting onto the floor where Darcy's office was located, his eyes darted around the abandoned rooms. "Darcy?" He bellowed. "Darcy!"

She shouldn't be here of course. Surely she would have evacuated with the rest of the humans.

It didn't stop him from looking for her.

Just in case.

He flicked his hands frantically by his sides as he searched for Darcy. He could feel no power, no magic flowing into his fingers. Nothing. He stood silent for a moment, and took a deep breath, deep into his lungs. His knees almost buckled as the strong scent of frightened Darcy hit his flared nostrils.

"Where are you. Where are you," he muttered under his breath. He raced to the other side of the level, nose twitching like a cat's, scenting out his Darcy.

He caught sight of her crumpled form just in front of the second emergency stairwell. Limbs feeling like lead and his heart seizing with horror, he skidded over abandoned papers and fell to his knees beside the young brunette. "Oh, my Darcy," he gasped.

A moan issued from the woman. "Did you get that truck's number?"

Loki almost laughed with relief. "Love. Love, I'm here. I'm-"

The roof cracked and showered them with concrete dust. Darcy coughed and blinked open her eyes in time to see a nearby water cooler tip dangerously behind Loki.

"Watch out!" Without hesitation, the god slipped his arms under her and swung her into the stairwell. The water cooler thunked harmlessly on the carpet where Loki was kneeling a moment before.

"Are you injured?" Loki demanded, as if he didn't just pick her up like a rag doll. She was standing now, leaning against the door frame.

"Yeah, yeah. Good," she dismissed. "You okay?" His hand brushed over her side and she hissed in pain. "Ah! Maybe not so good."

"Your hand, love."

Her tattooed hand was swelling up rather dramatically, and she couldn't seem to fully extend her ring and pinkie fingers. "Never mind. Can you zap us out of here?" She looked at him expectantly.

Loki thought he might vomit. He shook his head mutely.

"What's happened?"

"I don't know. I- my magic. It's gone."

Darcy gaped at him for a second before the collapsing roof distracted her. "Right. Okay. Let's just go. Now." She grabbed his hand and they both took off down the stairs.

Darcy was noticeably limping and had her injured hand wrapped across her middle. "Stop, love. I'll carry you." The fact that she didn't protest, just reached for him, showed how scared she was. "I'll protect you," he whispered as he continued to run down the stairs, her legs tight around his waist.

"I know," she whispered back. Unable to reach for the magical reserves that he had been able to access since he began his magical training over a thousand years ago, Loki tired more quickly that he would have liked. He felt the loss acutely, and was absolutely furious that this should happen _now_.

Continuing to race down the stairs with his precious load, he was fast coming to a conclusion that he did not like. Only two creatures had ever been able to control Loki's magic.

Odin was the first, tying his Aesir appearance to Loki's magic so tightly that his Jotun heritage was a mystery until very recently.

The other was Thanos, through his vile emissary the Other, who tapped into his brain by means long forbidden and forgotten by the Aesir.

Going by the sick feeling in his stomach, it was the latter who had become involved in this Midgardian spat. Loki cursed as he stumbled. The Other may be dead, but not Thanos.

"Let me down. It's okay," Darcy insisted, unwinding her legs.

"No," Loki said grimly, "I will get you out."

"But your magic's gone walkabout!"

"That will not stop me, love."

"Wait, stop. I'm gonna try-" Darcy made a small noise in his ear, and suddenly the blare of the sirens lessened. "Ha!"

Despite himself, Loki was so proud. "You created a barrier," he smiled at the woman in his arms.

"Not bad for a girl with zero magic lessons under her belt, huh?"

"Not-"

A massive roar came from above their heads. As they both looked up, they saw the stairwell begin to crumple like cardboard.

"Whoa!" Darcy yelped. Loki made the executive decision to leave the stairs and find another way out. Maybe the other emergency staircase? He burst through the doors onto one of the lower levels, tripping over a fallen cabinet and losing his grip on Darcy.

"Darcy," he gasped. "Are you alright?"

"All good, babe," she winced, climbing to her feet. "Let's go!"

Another roar shattered the remaining windows of the building and showered the two in glass. Lowering her arms after the rain of glass had stopped, she reached out for Loki with her uninjured hand, but caught sight of what was outside.

Now, Darcy wasn't much of a screamer, but she let out a horror movie worthy shriek at what she saw outside.

The huge metal beast somewhat resembled Iron Man, but its eyes glowed red in its black metal face. It focussed on Darcy for a moment, but swung its head around to Loki.

Loki it was interested in.

Very interested.

The claw-like hand shot out for the god. "No!" Darcy shrieked again, instinctively throwing out a hand. Her magic deflected the machine intent on her boyfriend, but it roared again and slammed it's hand into the floor, crushing the concrete beneath it.

"Run, Darcy! RUN!" Loki bellowed, shoving her away from the beast.

He had never been so aware of someone's mortality before. He couldn't protect her like this. They both took off towards the other staircase, both hoping like hell it was still standing.

There was one more roar. Then the floor collapsed beneath them.

* * *

It took about three minutes for Tony to realise that Loki wasn't going to be joining in on the action.

"Son of a-" Tony spat. He could really do with an extra hand here.

Stark employees ran terrified from the building below him, from this height, looking like ant trails but with a touch more colour. And less order. Tony was in pure defensive mode. The gigantic Iron Man abomination was mightily reminiscent of King Kong, clutching the top of Stark Tower, hurtling pieces of the roof at him. It was all he could do at the moment to prevent the debris from crushing the people below, blasting it away into smaller pieces so the damage wouldn't be as severe.

The beast seemed to suddenly either run out of bits to throw, or get bored of the whole thing, as it turned bodily to Tony and roared.

"Oh, yeah, Kong!" He mocked the machine. "Roar away."

Three missiles appeared over each of the armoured shoulders.

"Shit." He took off towards the machine, ducking out of the missiles' sights, circling close to try find a weak spot. Or maybe a clue as to who was controlling the thing. But he had a hunch about that already.

"Man of Iron!" Thor cheerfully greeted as he landed on the building next to where he was hovering. "Fine day for a battle!"

"Sure, sure, Chuckles," Tony muttered. Thor ignored him and happily leapt over the other side of the building to confront the iron beast. He soon returned, looking quite concerned.

"Mjolnir appears to have little effect on our enemy," he informed Tony, nonplussed.

"Let me guess, barely a scratch?" The blonde god pressed his lips together and nodded.

"Yup. Same with me. Okay, so what's the plan?"

"At times like this, Loki would always have some trickery ready."

"Hm, well, Loki has decided not to come to the party," Tony spat sarcastically.

Thor casually battered away some flying debris the size of a Mini. "Loki is no coward, Stark. He would not run from this."

"Loki never came out of the building, so we're on our own, Point Break!" Tony snarled. Paused. "Shit. He never came out of the building."

The building beneath their feet began to crumble. Tony grabbed onto the back of Thor's armour and took off again. "Jarvis! Did Loki and Darcy make it out?"

"Sir, it appears that both are still inside Stark Tower."

Thor looked distressed. "Why is he still in there?"

Tony made a frustrated sound and swore a blue streak. "Thor. Focus. We need to neutralise this thing and we need to get them out."

The god had ripped himself out of his grip and launched himself back at the machine before he could finish. Smacking two missiles out of the way like flies with his hammer, he went for the face.

"How are you controlled?" Tony muttered, scanning furiously. "Ah! Remotely, thank you!"

He was uneasy as he and Jarvis traced the energy signature to anywhere nearby. It would have to have a pretty massive power source-

Lightening cracked and Tony turned to see the God of Thunder with Mjolnir thrust high in the air doing his thing.

Which the iron monstrosity promptly battered away.

Tony's jaw dropped behind his visor. "Whoa."

Thor was the next to be swatted away. Abandoning the scanning, he charged toward the falling god and managed to snatch him up, inches from the ground. The god shook his head to clear it as the both touched down on the concrete. "This power, Stark. I don't like it. It feels like-"

"Yeah, I know," Tony interrupted breathlessly, raising his visor. "Like when little bro invaded. What powered that sceptre of his? Could it be that?"

Thor looked grave. "Earth was a loss and humiliation for the Mad Titan. It is not unthinkable that he would seek revenge." He pinned Tony with his eyes. "You blew up his army."

"Best decision ever," Tony sighed in frustration. He looked up at the machine, now climbing down the side of the half-crushed Tower. Something seemed to have caught it's attention inside. He tensed. "Fuck. I hope that's not Darcy and Wonder Boy it's got." He turned to Thor again. "Can you distract it? It's being controlled remotely by, I suspect, our resident mad scientist, Daniel Greene-Taylor. Jarvis and I can shut him down." He hopes, he added silently.

"Go, Man of Iron," Thor said confidently. "I will take care of this beast."

Not thirty seconds had passed before Tony zeroed in on the abandoned factory he suspected Greene-Taylor had set up as a hideout/control centre. Before he made it in, though, he cast his eyes back to what remained of Stark Tower.

To his horror, the building crumpled like a card tower, dust filling the air.

"No," he whispered, aghast.

* * *

Loki felt as though Thor had leapt on top of him. And Volstagg had joined him. A little groan puffed out through his dry lips and he blinked his eyes open. Darkness greeted him, the collapsing floor must have buried him beneath tons of concrete and metal. But there was someone else buried with him, he could smell them.

He knew that smell.

Then he remembered.

Oh, gods, no.

"Hey babe," came the pained whisper from above him. His horrified gaze met pain-filled blue eyes.

"Darcy," he breathed, his voice gravelly from the dust. "Darcy, Darcy, no. No no no, what- I'm sorry- Darcy-"

"Shhh, babe, it's okay," her voice sounded as if the air was being forced out of her lungs. "'S not your fault." She was almost right above him, the lower half of her body was crushed by concrete slabs, keeping the worst from falling on him. "Bad timin' on m'part, I guess," she slurred, her eyes blinking slowly. "'m a bit worried 'bout my legs. Can y'see 'em?"

Loki tried not to let the despair show on his face. "They're fine, love. Just keep still."

"Okie dokie," she whispered. Her eyes dropped.

"No, love, don't fall asleep," he begged. He began to check the condition of his own limbs. Bruises. Grazes. Nothing broken. He almost sagged with relief. He could get them out.

His heart sank when he tried to call his magic to himself. Still nothing. He tried again. A cry of frustration tore from his mouth.

"Loki?"

"Yes, love?" His voice was raised in panic.

"I can't see- where are-"

"I'm here. I'm right here." Loki reached up a hand to clasp her small digits. Her hand was colder than his.

"It hurts." A small sob escaped her.

"I know, love," he tightened his hand. "I'm going to get us out of here." He attempted his magic again to send a pulse of warmth into Darcy. It was like boxing the air.

"I know you will, Loki," she said. Her eyes closed.

"No!" He shouted, alarmed. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes. He was supposed to protect _her_. Not the other way around. He cursed the concrete that was crushing her lower half and struggled to loosen the rubble from around him. Without his magic, he would have been as good as dead if not for her.

And now, she is.

He shouted helplessly, "Darcy!"

She didn't respond.

He screamed in frustration and fear. The slabs around him began to freeze. He gasped in disbelief. He looked at his hands. The cursed blue of his heritage, raised markings appeared on the back of his hands. Loki the Jotun runt, for the first time, allowed his biological race to take over.

The power rushed through his veins like ice water, and his vision became sharper.

Flicking his red-eyed gaze at Darcy, he could detect a faint heartbeat.

Spreading his hands, the rubble covering him turned to icy powder. He sat up and touched the slab holding Darcy above him. It too, turned to powder. As the small cavity in the debris began to shake at the lack of support, Loki took Darcy into his arms, turned his skin into rock-hard ice, and, gathering her limp body close, shot up through the ruins of Stark Tower, leaving the darkness behind.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Turning from the horror of the collapse of Stark Tower, Tony raced to where Jarvis indicated the signal was coming from. There was a loud buzzing in his ears. He tried not to think about who may be still in the Tower. So intent on shoving the thought out of his head, he almost missed the A.I.’s sudden warning.

“Sir! Multiple signals!”

Tony wheeled around and threw his hand out, blasting away a machine that looked a little like a gigantic mosquito. It slammed against a nearby brick building and fell, shattered, to the ground.

Tony snorted. “At least my state of the art suit can damage _something_ today,” he muttered.

He twisted and blew another one out of the sky. He must be close to the bastard. The damn insects were swarming. He skimmed the ground and ducked down a narrow alley, hoping the other machines would follow and allow him to thin out the swarm.

“There. There. There. Ha! Die you little-“ Tony started laughing a little manically as he attacked the machines who were unfortunate enough to follow him. He had just shot down the last two and planted his feet firmly on the ground when the darkened sky lit up like Christmas. It appeared that Thor got his mojo back.

Flying back up to look over the buildings, Tony surveyed the situation around Stark Tower. The dust was still settling, and Thor was currently, from what he could ascertain, beating the crap out of the fallen Iron Kong. A rushing sound reached his ears, and before he could blink, Thor was at his side again, grinning like it was the best day ever.

“Nice timing, Bamm Bamm. How the hell did you knock it?"

Thor looked a little bloodthirsty. "I found the beast's weakness. The joints are unarmoured. It held no person inside." He looked back briefly. "I need to find my brother-"

"I know, I do. But I think we first need to-"

Thor nodded tensely. "Yes. We must find the cause."

"So," Tony announced, "I'm ready to storm the fortress. You?”

“Always, Man of Iron,” the blonde god replied, hefting his hammer.

They knew that they had found the right place as soon as another Iron Kong came up through the roof of an abandoned warehouse, roaring its displeasure. It snatched at Tony's legs, and in retaliation, he blasted the beast, focussing on the weaker joints of the elbow. He kept up the guerrilla-type tactics of blast-and-hide, until Thor came in from behind, smashed off its left arm, then hit the ground with Mjolnir.

The shockwaves were too much for the machine, and it fell to its knees, during which Tony relieved it of its right arm. It face planted dramatically into the concrete floor of the warehouse.

Tony landed next to Thor and raised his visor. Slapping the god heartily on the back - which Thor barely twitched at - the billionaire crowed, "That's one for the Teamwork Scrapbook!"

Thor grinned along, although slightly confused at the phrase. He opened his mouth to reply when an explosion had both of the men turning back to Iron Kong.

Thor disappeared.

Well, he was still around. But at that moment he was in the air, wrestling with a freakin huge missile that was probably supposed to explode on impact. Although, instead of exploding, the missile seemed intent on carving out Thor's heart.

Sadistic little sucker.

Hands kept the missile pointed at his chest, but the force of the weapon had lifted the god off his feet. Both missile and God of Thunder shot out through a side window.

In the meantime, the Wizard had come out from behind the curtain.

"You know," Tony said thoughtfully, "Some may call this an over-reaction."

Daniel Greene-Taylor scowled at the wreckage of his hideous machine. Glaring back at Iron Man, he said, "Others may call it a timely intervention."

"Intervention?" Tony scoffed. "Is that what this is?"

The other man levelled a somewhat superior gaze at him. As much as he hated to admit it, the stare unnerved Tony a touch. Greene-Taylor's dark eyes burned in his pale face, dark circles underneath emphasising the intensity. His hair was damp around his ears and neck, as if he had been working out, and it looked as though fingers had been run over the top of his head several times, making the locks stand on end.

Tony jolted as he recalled what Loki had told him only that afternoon, between Call of Duty and Super Mario Kart. Teasing the god about being envious of his obvious talent for gaming, Loki smiled obliquely, and answered, "My jealousy once festered, and a monster was born. I have learnt not to wish so hard. Someone may be listening."

Struck silent by the cryptic statement, Tony paused, then went to fall back into his Lay-Z-Boy. Which Loki had instantly decided would better grace the other side of the room.

Rubbing his ass and glaring at the other man, Tony had forgotten the comment.

Until now.

Thanos couldn't _really_ be involved with Doctor Horrible, could he?

Greene-Taylor, appearing completely unarmed, stalked closer, either choosing to ignore the fact that it was Iron Man he was stalking, or so far gone that he didn't even notice.

Tony was pressed to think the latter.

"You, Stark, are a menace," Greene-Taylor snarled. "You dabble in things you don't understand, then take the glory when you 'rescue' us from the threat-"

A distant explosion interrupted him.

Greene-Taylor raised a brow. "That- may have been your alien friend."

Tony shrugged. "He can take a beating. Now, take me back to what you said about rescuing us from threats of my own making?"

"Ah, yes," Greene-Taylor lifted an admonishing finger, "About that-"

Tony didn't even see his other hand lift before he was blown off his feet into several dozen empty pallets strewn against a wall. He cursed as he scrambled inelegantly to his feet and lowered his visor again.

Blasting a shot towards Greene-Taylor, the other man leapt to the side, narrowing missing being barbecued.

"What is this?" Tony yelled in a mocking tone, covering the fear that was growing from his own thesis about who was powering the other man, "What could have possibly gotten you so worked up that you had to create your own fucking ARMY to deal with it, huh?"

Another blast sailed past his head. Tony snarled and launched himself at Greene-Taylor's hiding spot. He grabbed him by the back of his neck and hurled him over to the wonderfully comfortable pallets. Before the other man could recover, Iron Man had him by the throat.

"Gotcha," Tony grinned.

Doctor Horrible grinned back.

Wait. That's not the usual reaction.

Tony gasped and looked down. A chill was emanating from the centre of his chest. He dropped the other man and clutched at the weapon piercing him. He couldn't breathe.

"What. What?" He gasped. The visor shorted and slipped up as Greene-Taylor began to laugh.

"A gift, Tony Stark, from an old acquaintance. Just returning the favour," he said sweetly.

Tony fell to one knee, grasping at the cold blue dagger plunged deeply into the centre of his suit. It seemed like Thanos wasn't above a little petty revenge, after all.

What a bitch.

"I don't- like," he choked out, "being- handed. Things."

The darkness covered him.

And he was back in space.

Floating. Suffocating.

Again.

* * *

 

Twisting his body away, Thor executed a kick that wrecked the trajectory of the missile. The weapon exploded on an unfortunately parked motor car, but otherwise harmed no one.

That left Thor falling towards the hard ground at an impressive speed. Throwing out a hand, he thought that it was possible that Mjolnir might not make it to him on time. He resisted squeezing his eyes shut.

He had a reputation to uphold, after all.

The hammer snatched him away from an uncomfortable landing and Thor redirected to find the Man of Iron. He was interrupted by more of the mechanical insects. He landed and tossed Mjolnir into a wide arc, the weapon reeling wildly but effectively through the swarm.

At a sharp pain around his left kidney, Thor sucked in a breath and sent the hammer in a tighter circle around his body. The machine smashed into the ground, blood dripping from its sharp proboscis.

The god collected his weapon and spun it by the leather strap, throwing himself again into the sky.

Daniel Greene-Taylor was standing over his friend. Tony was on the ground, eyes wide with fear.

“You!” Thor bellowed.

Greene-Taylor turned with some surprise to him, but a firm tap to the gut threw him across the room, sliding to a stop a number of yards away. He didn’t get up.

Neither did Tony.

“Tony? Tony!” He kneeled down next to his comrade-in-arms. “What’s happen-“ He spotted the ominous blue dagger glowing from Iron Man’s chest. “By Odin’s beard-“

That weapon was not of Midgard.

He thrust a hand though his long hair, snatching a clump in frustration. He couldn’t touch it for long without suffering side-effects himself. As well as killing Tony outright. He glanced down at his other hand. Mjolnir glinted at him. Encouraging him. He remembered first time he hit Tony with a lightening bolt.

“Lady Pepper will flay me alive if this does not work,” he muttered.

Heaving the hammer towards the open roof, Thor called lightning onto his friend. Wincing at the light, he then reached for the alien dagger and tossed it away.

Please, please, please. Let the suit protect him-

Tony came to with a harsh gasp. Brown eyes flicked to Thor.

“We’ve- g-got to stop meeting. L-like this,” he coughed out.

* * *

 

**MANY MIDGARDIAN YEARS AGO**

**ASGARD**

 

“Loki’s got himself a wife!” Thor crowed to the room at large.

Thank the Norns that the only occupants of the said room were the Warriors Three and the Lady Sif.

Not that it made it any better.

“I am _not_ -“ Loki began, sputtering, “Will you _cease_ -“

“Loki! You sly dog, you!” Laughed Fandral.

“Is she entirely sane?” Sif asked, smirking.

“I am not married, sorry to disappoint,” Loki snarled, glaring at Thor, who threw himself down on the comfortable chaise, between Fandral and Hogun, the latter handing him a drink. “The Midgardians, smelly mortals that they are, have been making up tales of me again.”

“Aw, such a burden, to be worshipped-“

“Silence, brother, I am not in the mood.”

Volstagg thumped his empty tankard down with a loud belch. “So, who’s the lucky lady, then?”

“Sigyn,” Thor replied.

All eyes turned to him. Then to Loki, still looking mutinously into his own drink.

“Who?” Sif asked.

Thor shrugged. “Never heard of her.”

Fandral sighed in disappointment. Dropping back into the cushions, he raised an eyebrow at Loki. “Have _you_ heard of her, newly-wed?”

Loki gave him a look of disgust. “No.”

“Well _that_ was a useless waste of energy.”

“Say not, Fandral!” Thor protested. “It has been the source of much amusement on our journey back through the Bifrost.”

“For you maybe, you great buffoon,” Loki muttered darkly.

“Ah,” Thor leaned forward, a conspiratorial look on his face, “This Sigyn is faithful, devoted-“

“Boring!” Sighed Loki.

“-and remains with Loki when he is chained to a rock, bound by his own innards, being dripped on by a poisonous snake, because if she lets the acid fall on him he’ll begin Ragnarok.”

Both Volstagg and Fandral spat out their drinks.

“Ridiculous,” Loki groaned, covering his face with one hand. “And the worst part, they actually have _carvings_ of this. This Sigyn is hovering over what is supposed to be me, with this tiny little bowl, catching the poison.”

They all doubled over with laughter. Even Loki got into the spirit of it, demonstrating the various poses of his mysterious new wife holding her little bowl. Thor, of course, sprawled out on the floor, pretending to be in romantic agony, bound by his own intestines, wailing about his stomach ailment.

This led to a rousing discussion of other various heroic poses the warriors could all insist that the Midgardians carve into their temples. Finding himself next to Hogun, the quiet man asked Loki, “Sigyn. Have you thought that maybe this could be a foresight into the future? Maybe a sort of premonition?”

Pulling a brief face, Loki contemplated his words for a moment. “Unlikely. The mortals of Midgard have never been blessed with any true vision. Not for several centuries, really.”

Hogun hummed thoughtfully, “Wouldn’t it be interesting if it was?”

* * *

 

**CENTURIES LATER**

**NEW YORK**

Loki burst out through the ruins of Stark Tower, clutching his precious burden tight to his chest. Hovering for a moment high in the clear sky, he began to panic as gravity kicked in, pulling the both of them straight back to the ground.

He had no idea how to control these powers.

He'd never used them before.

Bracing himself for a hard landing, he squeezed his eyes shut and tucked Darcy in tighter. He grunted awkwardly and he looked around in surprise as he felt himself suddenly slip down an ice slide to rest on the pavement, long legs splayed.

Blinking his still red eyes, Loki looked down. "Darcy? Love?" He brushed a dark lock of hair away from her face.

No reaction.

Think logically. Loki thought and cursed as he struggled to pull up his Aesir magic again. Scrambling to his feet, he looked around for inspiration. Something or someone was blocking him magically. He had a feeling it had something to do with the Iron Beast that tore the building out from underneath them.

Loki could still hear the faint, thready beat of his beloved's heart in his sensitive new ears. She wouldn't last long if he couldn't get help.

As soon as the thought ticked over in his brain, he could feel Darcy becoming dramatically cooler.

“What?" He protested, “No! No, don’t-" He dropped to the ground again and frantically rubbed his hands over Darcy's arms to warm her. "Stop, you cursed-"

Her heartbeat became slow and steady. Stable. She’d become stable.

"Oh," he breathed out a sigh of relief. It seemed as though he couldn’t harm Darcy, even unintentionally. Thank all the Norns.

“Darcy, love,” he whispered with hope, “You’re safe now.” He touched his cold lips to her dirtied forehead. “You’re safe."

He could hear the pounding of footsteps all around from the Midgardians still fleeing the scene of destruction. He ignored them until a light, soft sounding pair approached him, stumbling over various items dropped by both man and machine.

Pepper Potts, barefooted and breathless, dropped roughly to her knees next to the god. So fixed on the woman in his arms, she didn’t even notice Loki’s changed appearance. “I-is she okay?” She panted, tucking loosened hair behind her ears. She looked up at him and started. “Whoa!”

Loki glared at her, daring her to mention something.

“Um, yeah,” Pepper coughed. “Darcy. So- yeah. Darcy.”

“Darcy is stable, for now. I wish to have her seen by healers, she was severely injured in the collapse and since she has not come completely into her powers I am unsure how well her Aesir body will be able to help her heal on her own and will you stop poking me, woman?”

Pepper froze, mid-poke, mouth hanging open in disbelief, a slender finger hovering over the raised markings on his left cheekbone. She snatched her hand away. “Sorry,” she muttered, turning red. She pulled out her cellular device and held it to an ear. “Paramedics,” she said into the phone. Loki went back to regulating, as best he could in his current form, his Darcy.

“Pepper!” A familiar voice bellowed from above their heads, both of which snapped up. “Incoming!” Stark, piggybacking on the God of Thunder, dropped awkwardly to the ground. His damaged suit whirred in protest as he took a few stumbling steps towards the two on the ground.

“Brother!” Thor interrupted happily, “We have defeat-“ He sucked in a sharp breath. “Darcy.”

Stark dropped down next to his woman. “No, no!” He pulled off his helm and threw it carelessly to the side. “What happened?” He demanded, voice cracking. “Whoa!” His brown eyes flew open at the sight of Loki.

“Don’t. Say. Anything.” The increasing irritated Trickster God growled through gritted teeth.

Tony held his hands up in surrender. “Whatever you say, Papa Smurf.” He leaned over Darcy again. “Is Boop okay? She doesn’t look too good.”

“As I was telling Lady Pepper, she is-“

“-blue.”

“-stable. What?” Loki looked down at the woman in his arms. Darcy was turning blue. The dark god let out an inelegant yelp and almost dropped her. Both Tony and Pepper lunged forward to stop her from hitting the ground.

Thor, who had been staring blatantly at Loki the whole time, switched his gaze to Darcy. “Brother, I believe your Jotun is contagious.”

Loki could only make a choked sound as he gaped at Darcy.

“Look, look!” Tony sounded fascinated. “Look at her face!” The three others leaned closer. Darcy’s skin, now cerulean like Loki’s, was raising markings matching his own.

“She’s getting colder,” Loki muttered, lightly slapping Pepper’s poking finger away from Darcy’s face. “I don’t- I think I know what’s happening.” He took a deep breath. He hadn’t revealed this to anyone since it was revealed to him. “When- the All Father found me, as a child. I- changed. He tied the magic to me, but it was _me_ that changed, that became like the man holding me.”

“And Lady Darcy is doing the same,” Thor smiled.

“She will survive this,” Loki realised with relief. His head snapped up as the sound of sirens came closer.

“Oh, shit,” Pepper gasped. “I better- I’ll get rid of them.” She scrambled to her feet and ran towards the ambulance.

“Stark. Thor,” Loki caught the other men’s attentions. “Something is blocking my Aesir magic. I believe I felt-“

“Thanos, am I right?” Tony’s mouth quirked into a somewhat ironic smile. He slapped the chest of his somewhat malfunctioning suit. “His new bestie, the irrepressible Greene-Taylor, has already passed on his greetings.”

“I believe that connection maybe the source of your- appearance,” Thor said, as delicately as he could.

“Appearance,” Loki repeated dryly. “That’s what you call it.”

Thor flushed a little. Turning to Tony, Loki asked, “You have captured the Greene-creature?”

He nodded. “Yep. SHIELD had joined the party after Thor saved me from a potentially miserable existence of nothingness. They’ll have him in custody.”

Loki’s mouth tightened at the memory of his own imprisonment at the hands of those particular mortals. “Good. And the weapon he used on you?”

“Also with SHIELD.”

“When did you exactly lose your powers, brother?” Thor spoke up.

Loki thought for a moment. “I- I believe is was when the Iron Beast landed on the roof of your Tower, Stark. I could feel- something, as it came closer, but as soon as it landed, I soon realised that my magic had slipped out of my gasp.”

“Leaving you frosty,” Tony concluded.

“Yes, well,” Loki coughed, “That came later, when I could sense Darcy slipping-“ He looked down tenderly at the woman. Despite looking like a monster from his childhood nightmares, she was so beautiful. No. Not despite that. Whatever she looked like, she would be beautiful. Her strong heartbeat brought a smile to his cold, blue lips. Then he frowned. “I don’t like that she has not awoken-“

Three things then happened simultaneously.

First, the returning Pepper gasped and she shrieked, “Tony!”

Second, an almighty crash of a semi-trailer being ripped in half by the roaring Iron Kong supposedly defeated by Thor at the Tower brought an alarmed God of Thunder, Trickster God, and Iron Man to their feet.

And third, Darcy opened her blood-red eyes and exhaled one word,

“Run."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol. I was going to kill off Darcy with lots of tears and anguish and bellowing Loki's.
> 
> But I like this version better.
> 
> More action next chapter! Which I haven't written yet. Don't be surprised if it comes a little later than usual...


	14. Chapter Fourteen

"This is- new..." Darcy trailed off as she took in the marble floors, vaulted ceilings and Grecian columns. Shuffling forward a small step, she immediately tripped over her long white dress.

Wait.

"Also new," she squeaked, looking down at the long, flowy material that was probably supposed to dance gracefully around her ankles, but instead was trapped partially under her traitorous left foot. The dress was something she had never seen before, also Grecian in style but with a certain twist that rang a bell-

Oh. That's right. It looks just like that dress Jane wore when she came back from Asgard. But does that mean-

"Shit." Darcy slapped both hands over her mouth as the swear word bounced off the grandiose walls.

Was she in _Asgard_?

She couldn't be. No way. The last thing she remembered was-

"Loki!" She whirled around, looking for signs of life. "Loki? Are you here?"

Hoisting up the highly impractical dress, Darcy began to run further into the corridors. "Um-" She took a right. Rights are good. "Loki?" She padded her bare feet through an entrance at least twice her size into a hall that echoed with her slightly heavy breathing. "Lo-"

"Oh!"

"Ack!" Darcy jumped and promptly tripped on the train of her dress. Sprawling inelegantly on the floor, she glanced over to where the second voice came from. A beautiful, tall woman sat staring at her, seated on one of those really old fashioned seats that have no back. Quickly placing a gold goblet on the table next to her, she stood and smoothed down her own rich scarlet skirts.

"Hello, dear," she said softly, as she stepped closer.

Darcy finally found her feet under the layers of skirts and hastily jumped to her feet.

"Um, hi. There." She waved sheepishly. "Hello."

"You're not supposed to be here, Lady Darcy," the blonde woman's mouth twitched into an unsure smile. "It is not your time for a long while yet."

Darcy's stomach did a little dance of nervousness. "How do you know who I am?"

The woman stopped barely a foot away and was appearing to inspect her. Um. Awkward, much? "Uh-" Darcy coughed.

"What happened, dear?"

"Who are you?"

They both spoke at the same time.

"Oh," the tall woman said again, "How rude of me! I'm Frigga-"

Darcy's mouth dropped. "Wait. Frigga? As in Thor's Mom, Frigga?" Her insides clenched as she came to a sudden realisation. "Oh, fuck me sideways, I'm dead." Then she slapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry!" she exclaimed through her fingers, eyes wide.

Frigga grinned, eyes twinkling. "I've heard it all before. I’ve been around a while. And yes, well, this _is_ Valhalla, so technically..."

"I'm dead," Darcy concluded, horrified. "I don't want to be dead!"

"Fair enough. I believe, however, that you have taken a bit of a shortcut here." Darcy blinked at her blankly. "You're not really dead, Darcy."

"Oh. Good." She sighed in relief. "But, are you-" She gestured vaguely at the other woman.

"Yes, I'm still dead," Frigga said, rather cheerfully considering the subject matter. “My time came and my life on Asgard ended as it was supposed to. But you, Lady Darcy, shouldn’t be here.”

“Oh-kay,” Darcy drew out the word. “How do I get back?”

“What was the last thing you remember?”

The brunette’s face darkened. “Pain,” she whispered. “Pain and darkness.” She looked up at Frigga. “Loki was there. He was trapped with me, but he- he couldn’t get out, and-“ She felt a sob hitch in her throat and covered her mouth with both hands. Dropping them suddenly, she turned pleadingly towards the woman. “Is he okay?”

Frigga had paled slightly at her words. Firming her lips, she took Darcy into her arms. “Let’s find out.”

* * *

After racing after the tall goddess, skirts lifted indecently to her knees, to a quiet room high up a narrow spiralling staircase, Darcy dropped onto a richly furbished ottoman and watched Frigga move around the room collecting items off the shelves.

“Where’s everyone else?” Darcy asked after a moment.

“Oh, they’re around,” Frigga laughed a little. “The beauty of Valhalla is that it becomes _your_ paradise. I was married to the King of Asgard for many, many years. My life was an open book.” She smiled wryly. “A little _too_ open at times. So, my paradise, for now, is solitude, for the most part.”

“That’s cool,” Darcy agreed, nodding, continuing to gaze around the room.

“Very.” She placed a few jars on a small round table in the middle of the room. “Now, I’ve resisted the urge to look back on my family.” Darcy thought she imagined the shadow that passed over the goddess’ face. “It does no good to look on things you have no part in anymore,” Frigga whispered, almost to herself. She raised her voice again, “But this is a different matter altogether. We need to find out how we can return your soul to your physical body."

She motioned to Darcy. "Come here, dear." Darcy stood and made her way to the table, standing opposite Frigga. She could see a wide, shallow bowl had been carved into the marble table, filled to the brim with clear water. "Right," the goddess beamed. "I want you to clear your mind, look down into this bowl, then think of the one you love."

Darcy started. "I don't- I don't _love_ him-" she protested weakly.

"Love who?" Frigga replied smoothly.

"Loki!" She burst out. Then paused. "Oh, right. Okay," she laughed nervously. Frigga watched her with an enigmatic smile. "You didn't actually ask me to look for Loki, just the one I love." She laughed again, and pointed at the other woman. "Ha! You got me. Clever."

"Well, now that we know who's on your mind..." Frigga gestured to the bowl again.

"Right," Darcy said, bracing herself. Her last memories of Loki weren't exactly conducive to her general mental wellbeing. She peered into the bowl and the water clouded, then a splash, like someone had dropped a small stone right in the middle of the water, caught Darcy on the tip of her nose. But before she could squeak and wipe it away, she saw him.

He was hunched over something he looked like he was carrying, surrounded by buildings and dust. "He got out!" She exclaimed, thrilled. Then he looked up. She gasped. "What- is he- What happened?"

Frigga had stepped back and was regarding her with hands folded tightly in front of her red skirts. "My son has stopped holding back."

Darcy threw her a confused look. "What?"

The other woman looked tense. "He has finally accepted himself. All of himself."

Darcy looked into the bowl again and stared at the red eyes, the blue skin. "Dude. So that's his Jotun form?" Frigga nodded. The Loki in the bowl leaned over and kissed- Oh! That's her! "Hey! He got me out!" She squinted. Apparently being in Norse God heaven didn't mean that she could get away without her glasses. "I don't look so good."

Frigga raised a finger. "But you're not dead." Darcy snorted. She so looked like Loki when she did that. She gazed down at the Trickster God again.

"Does he scare you, like that?" The goddess asked softly.

"Oh- uh, no," Darcy stuttered. She could feel her cheeks heating. Oh, this was embarrassing. "Um, it's- uh. Kinda hot," she whispered.

The grin that lit up the small room was not what she was expecting as a response. "Good!" Frigga cheered. "Because we're going to be taking advantage of my son's heritage to bring you back."

"Really? How's that?"

She began to open the jars she collected earlier and toss their contents into a mortar and pestle-type setup. "Your developing magic, dear, is very similar to my son's. In fact, I would say that it will compliment his perfectly in due course. Loki has an uncanny ability to adapt to magic not native to him." She began to crush the herbs enthusiastically. "As Aesir, you should be largely restricted to our magic, but, like Loki, you can adapt."

"How do you know all this?" Darcy asked disbelievingly.

Sweeping over to the small fireplace Darcy didn't even notice, the goddess threw the crushed contents of the mortar into the metal jug slowly heating over the flames. Giving the liquid a stir, she looked over her shoulder at the younger woman.

"Look at your hand, Darcy," she said mildly.

She pulled her tattooed hand from her voluminous skirts and yelped. The tattoo on the palm of her hand had faded into the bright blue of her skin. Flipping her hand over, she stared as the blue leisurely made its way up her arm. Markings that reminded her of ancient Celtic tattoos rose from her flesh and twisted their way up to her shoulder.

"Oh, oh!" She was speechless, twisting her head around to catch sight of the encompassing blue.

Frigga walked over to her with a small ceramic cup in her hand. Steam rose from it along with a not-entirely-unpleasant smell. "Darcy. Darcy!" she commanded. The younger woman's attention snapped to her, her still blue eyes wide with uncertainty. "Drink this. Now."

Darcy snatched the cup out of her hand, wincing as it immediately cooled in her cerulean hand. Throwing it back like a shot, she swallowed quickly. "Will it help?" She gasped.

"Yes," the goddess said shortly, turning back urgently to the bowl. "Take another look, quickly."

Darcy launched herself at the table and peered inside. "Pepper- Tony! And Thor! They're okay!" She laughed breathlessly. A sharp pain suddenly hit her lower back, and she cried out in surprise. Another followed, and she collapsed on the floor with a moan.

"Frigga?" She cried out, "Frigga? Help- Ah!" That one was the worst. It felt like someone had shoved a blade into her kidney and was proceeding to twist. In a flurry of skirts, the goddess kneeled down beside her.

"Darcy," she said urgently, "You're returning to your physical body. It was injured, but using Loki's Jotun magic, it's healing itself-"

Darcy's next moan of pain drowned out the woman's voice. "It _hurts_!" She wailed. She could feel the injury that crushed her hand burn and clutched it to her chest.

"I know, I know, my poor sweetling, but I need you to do something very important." She wrapped her arms under Darcy's shoulders and pulled her from the floor.

"Ah, ooh- what?" Darcy sobbed, still trying to listen through the pain.

"Look in the bowl again, Darcy, there's something coming for the ones you love, and I can't help them," Frigga choked on the words, seemingly on the verge of tears herself. "I can't help them!"

Pushing through the agony, Darcy, with the goddess' help, pulled herself over the edge of the table again. "Oh. Oh, no. Oh shit. Loki!" She vaguely remembered that he wouldn't be able to hear her, but that seemed a minor detail at this point. "Run!"

Her arms were both entirely blue now, and from the flashes of of her bare toes, it had spread happily across the rest of her body. Breathing heavily, she let out a small grunt as the pain eased somewhat. "I need- I need to- Loki-"

"Darcy, look at me."

"Yes. Looking," Darcy turned her head with effort to the goddess.

"Remember, sweetling, this is what you were born to be. To stand shoulder to shoulder with my two sons. To temper my son, who is not of my flesh, but of my heart." Frigga cupped her hands around Darcy's drawn and perspiring face. "You are Sigyn."

Darcy gaped at her. No, what? When did this happen?

"Now go. Be with him. Save Loki." With that, she placed her hand firmly on Darcy’s forehead, and _pushed_. She fell backwards, but instead of hitting the stone floor, she landed in a pair of strong arms. Loki! She could hear voices over her head, but couldn’t comprehend what they were talking about. Struggling to open her eyes, to _move_ , she suddenly heard, as clear as day, “I don’t like that she has not awoken-“

If she could scream in frustration, she would have, quite cheerfully. She _needs_ to tell everyone to run from the-

Her eyes snapped open as she heard Pepper scream.

“Run,” she gasped. An unholy tear of metal drowned out Loki's elated response. Looking up into his alien red eyes, she yelled with more vigour, "Run!”

“Darcy!” Tony shouted as he shoved his visor back on his head. “Welcome back! Ready to rock and roll?"

“There will be no rocking,” Loki hissed at him, lifting Darcy bridal-style. “My _hjartað_ is injured.”

His heeyar-tud? That was a new one.

Ignoring the way he said the new endearment and the fact that it made her heart leap hopefully in her rather sore chest, she struggled to straighten up in Loki’s arms. “We need to go, babe. All of us. He’s coming. He’s coming for you and Tony!”

“Who, love?”

A crack of lightening drowned out any potential response and Tony took off in his battered suit to join Thor, who had latched himself onto the back of the Iron Kong, Legolas-style. The machine roared and reached a long arm behind him to rip off the god, who was sent flying towards Pepper. The blonde woman cried out in alarm at the flying blonde god, but Thor recovered, landing in a crouch a few yards behind her.

Tony was firing into the weakened joints around the neck, flying out of reach of the swiping metal hands, then coming at it from behind. Darcy could feel the tension tightening Loki’s grip on her. “Go!” She told him. “Put me down and go help them!” Meeting her gaze for a moment, he nodded and raced to place her gently in a nearby bank’s doorway. As he turned to join Tony and Thor she grabbed his suit sleeve urgently. “Watch out, he’s coming!”

“Who?” Loki asked again, staring into eyes the same as his.

Darcy looked confused, then her eyes became slightly glassy. “The Mad Titan.”

Loki felt his heart stop. “What?” he whispered.

“He couldn’t use you anymore. He chose another.”

She blinked, returning to herself. “Careful,” she warned. Then she grabbed his lapels and kissed him hard on the mouth. “Go!”

Loki raced away, terrified of leaving her, but even more terrified of her warning.

Darcy tried to get her legs to work, but could only just manage to wriggle her toes. Looking up, she noticed Pepper hiding behind a small truck. “Pepper! Over here!”

The other woman raced, head low, to Darcy's hiding spot. "Are you okay?" Pepper asked breathlessly.

"Good as new, dude! Apart from the legs not working and the Frosty the Snowman makeover and the hallucinations of Thor and Loki's mom, I'm a picture of health," she replied dryly.

"Hallucinations of who, now?"

"I'll tell you later. There's one more thing." She held Pepper's gaze in her own. "The Mad Titan. Ring a bell?"

Pepper froze. "Yes."

"He's done a Loki on Greene-Taylor," she paused, watching the other woman's reaction, "but you knew that already."

Pepper pressed her lips together tightly. "I had an inkling. Tony." She motioned in her boyfriend's direction.

"Right," Darcy nodded. "Well, he's coming."

"Coming where?"

"Here," came a smooth voice from behind them.

Both women turned to each other in horror, then slowly drew their gaze to the ragged, bleeding, yet perfectly composed Daniel Greene-Taylor standing behind them, blue dagger in one hand, a gun-shaped weapon in the other.

He slid the gun across Darcy's temple and slid the knife into his pocket, all the while staring avidly at Pepper.

"My two favourite ladies," he smiled widely as the weapon began to hum disconcertingly, "Let's have a chat, hmm?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation: hjartað - 'heart' in modern Icelandic and apparently medieval Norse. Pronounced 'hee-yar-tud'. Yay! Learning stuff!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

"I don't _care_ that your precious, ostentatious Tower has again fallen to ruin, Stark," Loki sniffed with disdain while he froze the Iron Kong's right foot to the road. "The way you speak of it, it is clear that you are compensating-"

"Un-be- _lievable!_ " Tony huffed from behind his visor, "This, coming from the man who wears _two giant horns_ on his head."

"The _god_ , Stark. I have been in existence since your ancestors were still cobbling together mud houses-"

"God. Really? Try 'alien with complexion problems'."

"How about _you_ try-"

"MY FRIENDS!" Thor bellowed from the top of the machine. Both Loki and Tony froze at the command. "Could we please focus on one problem at a time?" The blonde god casually ripped a panel off the back of the almost-defeated machine and plunged his hand in.

"Ooo! Wires!" Tony flew up to join Thor on the back of the Iron Kong, which was half-heartedly twisting its shoulders to shake the two men off. It shuddered like a wind-up toy on the wane and the glow in its eyes dimmed. Loki crossed his arms impatiently as Tony attempted to salvage the best parts from the machine. He was eager to get back to Darcy and ascertain that she was indeed healing. And the whole turning Jotun thing would have to be addressed, too.

"Heads up!" Came the cry from the billionaire. Loki leapt to one side as the gigantic head dropped heavily to the ground, inches from his leather dress shoes.

"Oh, yes. Thank you," Loki yelled sarcastically. "Just go ahead and crush the sorcerer who is reluctantly helping you out."

Tony peered down at him and shrugged. "At least I'm not blue."

The dark god clenched his fists. "That could change very soon."

Thor rolled his eyes and groaned in frustration. "Could you both, for THREE SECONDS, not argue?"

"He started it!" The Man of Iron and the God of Mischief and Lies hollered, pointing at the other accusingly. Narrowing his eyes, Loki opened his mouth to deny ever starting anything on purpose, when the tattoo over his heart flared to life. A surprised cry burst from his lips and he clutched at his chest.

"Hey, whoa," Tony dropped down next to him. "Are you-"

"Darcy!" Loki cried, twisting to where he saw her last.

"Darcy?" Thor questioned urgently, joining the two men. "Where is she?"

The tattoo burned viciously and Loki suppressed a groan. "Hiding," he gasped. Darcy must have reactivated their bonding spell in her distress. And she was VERY distressed. Before he realised he was moving, he began running, tearing off the ruined suit jacket and shirt, exposing his rune marked chest. Tony and Thor could barely keep pace with the Trickster God. Loki sped up and disappeared behind a road full of banked up traffic, dazzling the few pedestrians left out on the street.

"Brother!" Thor bellowed after him. "Be cautious-" His cry was cut off as they turned the corner and skidded to a halt.

“No! Fuck!” Tony yelled, dismayed.

It was a standoff. Daniel Greene-Taylor held Pepper close, resting the glowing blue blade of his dagger against the delicate skin of her neck. He spoke to her, his lips brushing her ear, and she shuddered, arms held tensely by her sides and her fingers clenching and unclenching. He pulled her back suddenly, and the blade bit into her flesh. She cried out and Tony roared in anger, throwing himself forward with the intention of ripping Greene-Taylor’s head from his body.

“Wait!” Thor drove a shoulder into Iron Man, stopping him in his tracks. He was blinded with fury and fear, but Tony knew that rushing into things would only get Pepper killed.

Thor’s arm was half wrapped around his waist, the god facing the other direction. “Wait,” he panted. “We must _think_ , Stark.”

Tony was breathing hard, glowering at Greene-Taylor. “I know. _I know_ ,” he snarled. Flicking his gaze around the scene, looking for any advantage, he took in Loki, standing stock still between them and noted his stance, feet braced, right arm raised and palm open, as if his hand itself was a weapon.

Well, Tony thought half-aware, it most likely is.

The raised tattoos on his body seemed to stand out even more and a dark mist rose from his exposed skin. That's when Tony noticed Darcy. Her eyes were glowing blue now, no longer the red of her borrowed Jotun power. She was standing a little behind Greene-Taylor, legs strong, any previous evidence of her injuries gone. She held Dr Horrible’s energy weapon, the one that blew him off his feet less than an hour ago. Tears left shiny tracks down her cheeks, reflecting in the late afternoon sun, but her face was impassive.

She held the gun to her head.

“Oh, how wonderful!” Greene-Taylor cheered, “The Terrible Trio. The God of Thunder, the Man of Iron and the God of Mischief. So kind of you to join us.” Pepper let out a pained yelp as more blood streamed down her neck, soaking the front of her shirt. He scowled at Tony. “Although, you sir, are supposed to be dead.”

Taking deep breaths to control the rage inside urging him to attack the other man, he smirked with effort, “I get that a lot.”

Thor was quietly assessing the situation. Darcy appeared to be under the same mind control that Loki used on Barton and Erik Selvig when he invaded Midgard. That meant that in some way Thanos was involved. How involved, he couldn’t judge. But if Loki’s Aesir powers were suppressed, the Mad Titan was certainly making his involvement known. He had had Loki in his possession for a time, finding out exactly what the Trickster God’s magics entailed. The dagger was the key, Thor believed.

The fact that Lady Pepper was not fighting the odious villain indicated that if she fought, Darcy would die. He glanced at his brother. His red eyes were wide and focussed entirely on Darcy, but his hand was raised at Greene-Taylor. On any other day, Thor could imagine that Loki would have no qualms destroying the other man to save his lady love, whether or not a hostage was involved.

He had grown much, not wanting to hurt the woman loved by his new friend.

Greene-Taylor spoke again, “My benefactor was a little surprised to see you back on Earth, God of Mischief. Surprised, but in no way disappointed.” He leered. “Two birds with one stone.” He gazed at Tony. “Very economical.”

“How about,” Tony interjected, “You let the ladies go, and then we can talk this out, huh?”

“No,” he shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. I believe keeping Pepper and the blue freak nearby will only benefit me.”

Tony snapped his head toward Loki as the god let out an inhuman growl. “Keep it together, Lokes,” he said under his breath. Loki made no reply, but he did glance at Tony for half a second before focussing back on Darcy. Good, he wasn’t entirely gone. “Do you trust me?” He whispered quickly.

“What?” Loki snapped harshly, under his breath, not moving from his position.

“Do. You. Trust. Me?” Tony repeated.

They’ll only get one chance at this. He could hear Loki’s jagged breathing, as Thor crept closer to the two men, sensing a plan. “Barton came to with a blow to the head-“

Loki nearly choked. “You want to _hit_ my Darcy?”

“Not normally,” his lips quirked as he hid a chortle. “But it’ll get her out of harms way.”

Loki’s eyes flicked between Greene-Taylor and Darcy. “The dagger. I need to destroy that dagger.”

Tony winced as he remembered the feel of it sliding into his suit. “He said it was a gift from Thanos.”

“It’s enough to exert control over Darcy,” Thor added in a low voice.

Loki snarled again. “Fine. I’m ready. I’ll be the villain, and you save my Darcy.”

Tony nodded. “Go.” Then he raised his voice, “Don’t!” He lunged at the dark god.

Using his strange new, yet old, powers, Loki threw out his other hand and tossed Tony aside and into Thor, knocking them both to the ground. “Mortal!” He bellowed at Greene-Taylor. “I wish to negotiate.”

“Tony!” Pepper cried out. The touch of the blade stopped short any other cries.

“Yes?” Greene-Taylor sniffed. “What with? I seem to hold all of the cards, here.”

Loki stalked closer, taking care to watch if Pepper would be in more danger. He stopped before the other man could get too jumpy. “Maybe so, but I have dealt with Thanos before, and I know how capricious the Mad Titan can be. There is a reason he is called ‘Mad’, mortal.” He grinned, baring his teeth.

“I don’t need your help, Loki,” Greene-Taylor snarled.

Loki raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“No, brother!” Thor came at Loki. Dark mist rose and enveloped the blonde god, leaving him frozen to the road. “Brother!"

“Not your brother,” Loki hissed.

“Oh, ho ho,” the villain chuckled. “Family issues?” He shrugged nonchalantly, apparently not noticing his hostage flinching at the movement. “I can understand. I mean, all this?” He indicated the devastated neighbourhood, “Step-daddy couldn’t quite  _understand_ where I was coming from, unfortunately for him. And Mister Tony Fucking Stark,” he spat, “continuously  _humiliating_ me with bigger and better _everything_.”

“'Unfortunately for him’?” Tony burst out disbelievingly. “What the hell did you do to your step-father?”

“Silence, Stark,” Loki snapped. “You had your chance.” Casually tossing out a hand, Tony’s suit ground to a halt.

Greene-Taylor looked slightly impressed, his grip unconsciously loosening on Pepper. The woman’s eyes widened hopefully. “I have to admit,” the man said, “having a sorcerer on my side will help my cause.”

Loki raised both hands and swept them over himself. “Even without my powers, I am not helpless.”

“Ah, yes,” the other man’s attention was fully on Loki now. He waved the blue dagger in the air. “Thanos believed you would be helpless with this containing your magic. I suppose he underestimated you-“

He never had the chance to finish his reply as Pepper dropped to the ground with her dead weight. Thor, not really frozen, tossed Mjolnir into the air towards Greene-Taylor. “Catch!” the blonde god called. The mythical hammer fell into the other man’s arms with an audible ‘oof’.

Tony lifted an arm and with a slight shower of ice falling off his suit, blasted the unmoving Darcy clear off her feet.

“Pep!” Tony raced over and dropped next to his girlfriend, pulling her into his arms. “Darcy,” she gasped. “He was controlling her! Is she-“

Loki had reached his love, his heart in his throat. “Darcy!” He spotted the weapon laying some yards away. Growling, he focussed on it, feeling the tiny particles that made up the gun begin to vibrate violently. It exploded satisfyingly, the mangled parts unrecognisable.

He reached for Darcy, carefully taking her into his arms. “You have been in this position far too often for my liking, my love,” he said softly, caressing the markings on her face.

Her eyes fluttered. “Keeps hitting me, that truck-“ she coughed, “-is an asshole.” Loki laughed helplessly.

In the meantime, Thor loomed over Daniel Greene-Taylor, who was was wheezing through the pain of several bruised ribs. “That hammer-“ he gasped, “packs qu- quite a punch.”

“Good,” Thor replied, as he hefted Mjolnir once more. “Get up.”

Greene-Taylor groaned. “Now?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, fuck,” he moaned. Then he rolled over and threw up. Thor leaped back with an expression of pure disgust.

A pounding of boots alerted them to visitors. “Oh, look who decided to join the fun,” Tony bit out scornfully. Semi-automatics cocked as Nick Fury strode into the fray. “Too little, too late, Fury!”

Fury glared at Tony, insulted. “Excuse us for clearing the city of two other giant mechanical gorillas,” he sniffed. “We didn’t have two gods helping us out.”

“You fucking had him in custody!” Tony yelled, helping Pepper to her feet.

“He fucking had back-up!” Fury yelled back.

“Shut up!” Pepper snarled at both men. “I have a headache.”

Looking a bit taken aback at being told off by the normally unflappable Pepper Potts, Fury turned his attention to the god he absolutely KNEW was back on Earth since the strange anonymous phone call a few weeks ago. “So, hello again, Loki of Asgard.”

Loki was standing, slightly perturbed, with Darcy in his arms. He bowed his head politely at the Director of SHIELD. “Greetings, Director.”

“Wait, Fury,” yelled Thor, having left Mjolnir in the care of Greene-Taylor - holding the mortal down lovingly by his injured chest. Fury turned his glare on Thor. The god stopped short at the look. He was suddenly very aware of how important this Midgardian was. Almost like the realm’s Heimdall. “Uh, my brother- He has-“

“He. Has. What."

“I am not here for ill,” Loki said, holding a much more alert Darcy tighter in his arms. He swallowed as SHIELD’s weapons continued to train on him. And Darcy. He looked helplessly at Thor. “Please, before you take me-“ he indicated to the woman in his arms.

“Oh, no!” Darcy protested, throwing her arms around his neck. “Don’t you dare!”

“Darcy,” Loki argued.

“No!” She shouted. “Nick-“

“Things are different, Fury,” Tony interrupted, his brown eyes visible through his raised visor. “ _He_ is different-“

“ _He_ should be imprisoned on Asgard,” the SHIELD Director exclaimed, pointing at the Trickster God.

“He is standing right here,” Loki muttered, bringing a smile to Darcy’s lips, despite everything.

Tony, still propping Pepper up, was arguing with Fury. “He has been _helping_ us, Fury. The whole time. You can’t just-“

“I can and I will, Stark. Just because you suddenly have some _bromance_ -“

“That has nothing to do with-“

“Fine!” Fury barked. “He can prove it.” He whirled on the god. “Well?” he demanded.

Loki looked like a rabbit caught in headlights. That was a sensation that he had never felt before, but should have really anticipated that would come at some point in this venture. “Uh,” he stuttered. “Ah, well-“ he swallowed nervously. “I love my brother, Thor?” His eyes darted from Fury to Thor, receiving very different stares back.

“Go Loki!” Tony cheered, punching the air with the arm not holding Pepper. Fury just looked disgruntled.

The Director pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and sighed deeply. Finally he looked up and pinned Loki with a ‘do not _dare_ fuck with me’ stare. “You help clean up this mess, and we’ll talk.” He whirled around, leather duster flaring and glared at Tony, who was grinning like an idiot. “Do _not_ say a word, Stark.” He stalked off to collect Greene-Taylor. Hopefully no mechanical anythings would try to tear the heads off his team this time.

Loki let out a deep breath and gave Darcy a little half-grin as she kissed him happily on the cheek. He was about to respond in a more personal manner, when Thor threw his arms around the both of them. Darcy gave a yelp as she was smooshed against Loki’s smooth blue chest.

Hmm, wait. Not so bad.

“Brother,” Thor mumbled happily. “I knew you still cared.”

“Yes. Yes, Thor,” Loki wheezed through the crushing hug. “I still care. I do. Please, take care not to smother Lady Darcy.”

“I’m okay. Really,” came the slightly muffled reply by his left pectoral. Then his legs gave out as he felt a warm tongue drag itself across his tattoo.

“Ah!”

“Brother! I’m sorry! Are you-“

“Fine! Ah- fine, Thor. Brother. Really,” Loki panted as he tried to regain his equilibrium with his arms full of a very mischievous looking Darcy. He threw her a dirty look. She shrugged, grinning. “Nice to see you feeling a bit better after your brush not only with death, but also the bout of brainwashing,” he said drolly.

“What can I say, babe? I just go with the flow.”

“Hey, Smurf and Smurfette?” Tony’s call grabbed their attention. “You wanna take care of Thanos’ little gift?”

“With pleasure,” Loki replied smoothly, rising to his feet again.

“I think I’m okay to walk now, babe,” Darcy said, squirming a little. Letting her down carefully, her legs shaking a little as she regained her balance.

Stepping gingerly over loose paving stones, Loki approached the blue knife, glowing malevolently in the growing dusk. He could feel the tightness in his chest and the sweat gather at his temples as he moved to stand over it. Tony joined him, staring down at the weapon.

"So," the Man of Iron drawled. "How do we kill it?"

Loki snorted. "I don't think we can 'kill it', unfortunately." He looked up and caught Thor's eye. "There's really only one place where it can be stored with safety."

"Asgard?" Thor joined them. "Yes, brother. I believe you may be right. Unless-"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Unless, what?"

"You could try to destroy it. With your Jotun magics."

The God of Mischief frowned and looked down at his cerulean hands. "Possibly. But, possibly when I have better control over it. But, for now-" holding one hand above the other at about chest height, he began to circle them both clockwise at differing paces. Between the small distance of his palms, a white light formed and grew until a small stone box lay on his bottom hand. "I've infused this with several suppressing spells," he said, handing it to Thor. "Hopefully that will be enough to contain the Mad Titan's curse."

Without blinking, Thor took the box, crouched down next to the knife, and quickly dropped the blade inside. The box glowed white for a second, sealing the dagger inside permanently.

Tony was blinking. "You said you have _no_ control, over it?"

Loki shrugged, grimacing. "Well, little control. I have found that the execution is similar to my Aesir magics, but I'm tapping from a completely different source. I'm not sure how far I can tap. Or how deep, before things can go wrong. Ah!"

A shudder went through his body, and slowly he could feel his magic returning. The blue faded from his skin and he blinked, his eyes returning to his usual clear green. A cheer went up from behind him. He turned and saw Darcy, standing with Pepper, watching her change back. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry, Darcy.”

She looked up. “Hmm? Why’s that?” He walked over and softly ran his hands up her arms, goosebumps following in his wake. She frowned, slightly bewildered at his expression. He looked so _guilty_. “Loki?”

“I’m sorry that you had to become-“ he hesitated, “That. That you had to see it. The monster.”

Darcy felt her heart melt. “Oh, no. No, sweetie. You look- look amazing.” He shook his head in denial. “No, it’s true. It is. Come closer.” He came up, chest barely an inch away from her nose, lightly breathing in her scent. Smiling up at him, she said, “Okay, don’t freak.” She raised her tattooed hand and held it over his heart.

“Darcy-“ he warned. There were still witnesses and he really didn’t want their first time to be on the street in front of his brother and Tony. Although, that wall…

“Hang on,” she muttered, concentrating. The skin over his heart cooled, and, with a gasp, she turned Jotun again.

“Odin’s Balls, Darcy! What are you-“

“Ha!” She grinned triumphantly, her teeth glaring white against her blue lips. “Lookie what I can do! Your Mom said I’d be able to do that.”

“My _mother_ -”

“Uh, huh. Said we have complimenting magics. Of course, I’ll need to work on them a bit-“

“My MOTHER?!”

“Yeah,” she threw him an unimpressed look, “Keep up, sweet cheeks. Frigga sent me back. I was in Valhalla and everything, but she said it wasn’t my time-“ She finally took pity on him and touched the bottom of his jaw, pushing his mouth closed. “She also said something else,” Darcy continued softly. This time she looked down at her feet, her ears turning violet as they reddened. “She said I was Sigyn,” she whispered.

“Oh Darcy,” he breathed, finally catching up to the conversation. “My _hjartað_. Of course you’re Sigyn.” She looked up, her forehead crinkling in confusion. “You’ve always _been_ my Sigyn. You saved me. Saved my life both literally and figuratively, because without you, I _would_ have ended everything.” At that, he took her face into his hands, blue skin, sharp teeth and red eyes all, and kissed her. She tasted like Darcy with a hint of snow.

Pulling back, he saw that she had reverted back again, her dark lashes fanning her cheeks. She opened her wide blue eyes. “Wow. You know how to romance a girl, don’t ‘cha? Once you stop the whole stalking thing-“

“I do not stalk,” Loki huffed indignantly.

“Do to. But that’s okay, because I love you-“ She barely finished the word before Loki’s lips were back on hers, trying their damnedest to become one entity. Before her brain shut down with the sensations the God of Mischief and Lies was battering her body with, she thought that he might like her a bit back.

A gagging sound didn’t even make it to their ears. “Ugh. We’re gonna have to get a hose onto them, aren’t we?” Tony blanched, turning away from the show.

Pepper, in the meantime, had tears glistening in her eyes. She was joined by Thor, looking just as teary.

“They’re going to have such beautiful babies,” the God of Thunder sniffed happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOSH SECOND LAST CHAPTER!!
> 
> I'd just love to thank everyone who has taken the time to read, bookmark, kudos, and especially comment. You guys are all so freakin awesome. So. Freakin. Awesome.


	16. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I wanted to get it right and those damn words were not being helpful...
> 
> Anyway, this is it! THE END. Pretty much sheer fluff. If anything didn't make sense, rest assured, it is because I have no idea what I'm doing.
> 
> Thank you so much for everyone who took the time to review - you guys are awesomeness and rainbows!

"What are you _doing_?" Loki cried out, horrified. "Get away from me!"

Thor was standing, stunned, with one muscular arm held out from his body, and the other holding his cell phone. "Loki-"

"Oh, no, brother. You do not just waltz up and begin _molesting_ me-"

Thor's mouth dropped open. " _Molesting_? I did no such thing! I was merely arranging to have a selfie taken with you!"

"Arranging-" Loki blinked. "Selfie?"

The blonde god rolled his eyes. "Yes, a selfie. No pain is involved. The only pain involved, according to your Lady, is the shame of performing an obligatory 'duck-face'." He frowned a little at that. "I am still unsure of what a duck-face actually involves-"

Ignoring the antics of the two gods on the other side of the roof top courtyard, Loki's lady, along with Jane and Pepper, were enjoying the mid-afternoon sunlight. Along with their friends Mojito and Margarita.

After the events of the previous few weeks, Tony had moved himself and Pepper into the penthouse of a luxury five-star hotel in the city. Tony had wanted to take them all on vacation, but Fury demanded that Loki stay within the city limits, much to the billionaire's disgruntlement. Normally, such a command would have had him responding with a one fingered salute, but in deference to Loki's very precarious position on Earth, he forwent his usual response.

Which made Loki feel both warm and rather uncomfortable.

To hide the fact that he was having 'feels', as Darcy described them with a cheeky smirk, Loki used his not inconsiderable powers to help begin to rebuild Stark Tower and to clear the damaged sites of debris. He also allowed himself to be used by SHIELD, something revealed only to the very, very top brass, and the Black Widow, under pain of- something extremely painful he was sure, to carefully probe the mind of Greene-Taylor and find out exactly how Thanos found him.

And if the Mad Titan planned a repeat attack.

It seemed that the former CEO of Greene Software had been slipping further from reality for longer than people had realised. His stepfather had suspected something, but had been killed by an apparent brain aneurism before his suspicions could become something more substantial. Jarvis had hacked Simon Greene's private files after Greene-Taylor's near admission to Tony.

Things went from mad to Stark Raving when Thanos had decided to pay Tony back for destroying his army, and found Greene-Taylor mentally broadcasting his obsession with the billionaire. The touch of homocidal tendencies helped boost the signal.

The seed was planted, and the man was very happy for the Thanos power-up.

What Loki was relieved to learn though, was that the Mad Titan had a less 'hands on' approach to this incident than he did with his own ill-fated foray into Midgard. Thanos' attention was elsewhere, for now.

Loki dropped into the canvas beach chair next to Darcy's and promptly pulled her into his lap. With only an obligatory indignant 'hey!' Darcy settled across the hard planes of his chest, resting a hand at the 'v' of his charcoal coloured t-shirt, index finger teasing across his skin.

He tried not to purr like a cat, but an approaching Tony noticed his expression anyway.

"Oh my, Rock of Ages," he gasped dramatically, "is that domestication I smell?"

"Never," Loki replied lazily. "You must be mistaking it with the fragrance of satiation." Darcy snorted into his chest as he turned a shit-eating grin on the other man.

"Oh, good grief," Jane protested. "We really didn't need to know-"

Darcy raised her head. "Pah-leeze, Jane. Like you're so pure." She rolled her eyes in the scientist's direction. "I shared a wall with you in London. You _and_ the Love-Chunk over here."

Jane's mouth dropped open as Thor's face began to look a lot like Loki's. "But- but you said you couldn't hear anything!" She sputtered.

"My old Nine Inch Nails collection came in handy."

Thor looked even more smug, if possible.

"Well," Tony interrupted sarcastically, "as much as I _love_ to talk about other people's sex lives, I have some news." He dropped onto a low table next to Loki and Darcy and gave the former villain a glare through one eye, leaning his elbow on his knee.

Loki pulled back from the billionaire suspiciously. Tony kept staring in a Nick Fury-type fashion. The god tightened his grip on Darcy and raised a eyebrow. "Lady Pepper, I believe your man's brain needs, how do you say it- rebooting?"

Ignoring the snickers from both Darcy and Pepper, Tony dropped his voice and growled, "I want to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative."

Loki's eyes widened. "What? No. Oh, no, no-" He thrust a finger in Tony's face. "Don't even-"

"Oh, yes, yes, Mister Edward Lewis, formally Cullen. You are officially a consultant for SHIELD. Not under your real name of course-"

"No. Just stop-"

"It'll be great!" Tony crowed, blithely ignoring Loki's protests. "The Terrible Trio, working together for the betterment of man, woman and immortal alien-kind-"

"The Terrible- Stark, you cannot be seriously-"

"Sticking it to the man! Looking out for the little people-"

"What man?!" Loki was completely off kilter. Finally, he rubbed a tired hand over his face. "Stark, your tongue is in dire need of removing. And you are not helping," he snarled half-heartedly at Darcy.

The three women were in hysterics at the exchange. "I- I'm s- sor- sorry," Darcy gasped between giggles.

"You are not," he sniffed.

"Your face!" She squealed before collapsing into laughter again.

"I get no respect around here," Loki sighed.

Thor thumped him on the back in consolation. "Best get used to it, brother." The blonde god threw a somewhat disgruntled look at Tony. "At least you can keep up with Stark's jibes."

Loki grunted in agreement. Then he turned a sly look on Tony. "Although, we do outnumber him now, brother."

Tony froze as Thor nodded solemnly. "That is true. And we always have worked well as a team-"

The billionaire's mouth dropped open, clearly about to protest at this inevitable persecution from the two brothers, when Pepper motioned at him with a Mint Julep she had just made. "Just- no, Tony." He began to pout with all the grace of a three year old as he took a sip. Then he brightened up.

"Can we carpool?"

* * *

Darcy clung to Loki a little more than necessary for the trip back to her apartment. Well, she thought it was to her apartment.

“Where are we?”

Loki looked around with a proud smile. “Your dwelling, of course.”

“What?” She swung around. The place was ENORMOUS. The high roof arched over their heads and a soft light filtered in through the arches. It reminded her a little of Valhalla, to be honest. “Hold the phone-“ She spotted a door. Normal enough looking. She stepped through.

Yes, this was her apartment door. It’s got the number and everything.

“Huh,” she said. Darcy walked back inside and closed the door behind her. Crossing her arms, she glared at the God of Mischief. “Have you been redecorating, babe?”

Loki nodded regally.

“Right,” she said, trying not to smile. “You know what this means.”

He strode closer, running his fingers gently up her arms, to stop on her shoulders. “What does it mean, love?”

Darcy was practically vibrating with excitement at that point. “It’s bigger on the inside!”

“I realise that.”

“IT’S BIGGER ON THE INSIDE.”

“Darcy-“

“I’M LIVING IN THE TARDIS.”

“In the what? I assure you, this is still your dwelling-“

“THE _TARDIS_!”

Loki had lost track of what Darcy was talking about several exchanges back, so he decided to communicate in a language they both spoke. Raising one hand to cup her chin, he dropped his mouth onto hers. She stood stunned for a moment, like she almost always did, as if she couldn’t quite believe what he was doing, then she threw her arms around his neck and proceeded to kiss him back. His lips relaxed with a soft sigh and Darcy’s tongue slipped past his teeth to stroke his own. Lifting her easily in his arms, she wrapped her legs around his narrow waist as his hands dropped to her ass, holding her firmly as he backed her into a table. Thus propped, Loki’s hands were free to roam.

“Oh,” Darcy moaned, “Oh, wait. Ah-“

“What?” He gasped back. One of his hands slipped under her t-shirt. 

She threw back her head and made a sound he was sure she had never made before. He was so proud. “Loki, I want t- to know someth- ah!”

He was determined to leave a mark on the delicious skin between her neck and shoulder before it healed too damn quickly.

“Thor!” She cried out.

Loki pulled back, indignant. “Way to kill the mood, dude,” he quipped at her.

“Sorry,” she said, panting. “Give me a sec.” Visibly gathering her thoughts, she tried again. “Does Thor know. About what's really happened to Odin?”

Ice green eyes met bright blue. Loki looked away first. “No. Not yet.”

“Loki,” his Darcy, his Sigyn, said softly. “It’s okay.” He searched her eyes again. “‘Not yet’, you said. Not yet. You plan to, and I’ll be there when you do. No matter what.” She kissed him gently.

He was staring at her in that weird way again. “What?” she shifted uncomfortably in his arms.

“You’re spectacular,” he whispered, his face lighting up.

She felt a blush rising in her cheeks. What is it about this man - this _God_ \- that makes her want to explode with embarrassment every time he complimented her? “Stop it,” she mumbled.

He shifted so his mouth brushed her ear. “It’s true,” he breathed, making her shiver.

“’S not,” she argued.

“It is, and I’ll prove it,” he growled, tightening his grip on her splayed thighs.

“I have an idea!”

That caught his attention. “Really, _now_?”

“Uh, huh!” She pushed him away and dropped off the table.

“Can’t this wait, love?”

“Your fault, babe,” she threw back over her shoulder as she pulled open a kitchen draw. “Where is it-“ she muttered. “Ah, ha!” She brandished a small card above her head. Plucking it from her fingers, he gave her a suspicious glare before reading a familiar script. Ah, the card he left with her bouquet of flowers after their, one of their, misunderstandings.

“So,” Darcy looked up at him, all big eyes and heaving chest. “Is that even physically possible?”

“Hmm,” Loki pretended to consider, tapping the card against his chin while considering the love of his life. And her cleavage. “I believe it is. But only after practice.” He hoisted her up onto the the table again and gave her a hard and fast kiss. “Lots of practice.”

“I love practice,” Darcy moaned happily.

**FIN**


End file.
